Quality factor sensitivity to crystallographic axis misalignment in silicon micromechanical resonators

Abstract

We study the sensitivity of quality factor in single crystal silicon (SCS) micromechanical resonators to crystallographic axis misalignments that are present due to fabrication non-idealities. Our experimental results, being reported for the first time here, unveil that very small angular misalignment from [110] axis of transduction adversely affects the high Q of a bulk acoustic wave SCS resonator by more than 50%, unlike the misalignment errors about the [100] axis of transduction. Interestingly, when the axis of transduction is intentionally offset by a large angle from either [100] or [110], multiple peaks with comparable relative strength are observed from a single resonator.