Stress-Modulated Control of TCF and Frequency Shift in 4H-SiC Beam Resonators for Enhanced Thermal Stability

Stress-Modulated Control of TCF and Frequency Shift in 4H-SiC Beam Resonators for Enhanced Thermal Stability | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Stress-Modulated Control of TCF and Frequency Shift in 4H-SiC Beam Resonators for Enhanced Thermal Stability Yaoyao Long, Zhenming Liu, Xinyu Jiang, Ningxin Li, Farrokh Ayazi This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4511152/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Precision time and frequency references are critical components in electronic devices, impacting sectors such as wireless communications, global positioning systems, and network synchronization. While quartz-based oscillators have historically dominated the market, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators are emerging as potential successors, albeit with challenges related to thermal frequency drifts. This paper presents doubly-clamped beam resonators in monocrystalline 4H-silicon carbide (4H-SiC), showcasing a tunable local zero Temperature Coefficient of Frequency (TCF) across a wide temperature range. Our novel approach employs axial stress to counteract temperature-induced softening in the 4H-SiC beam, leveraging the unique attributes of a 4H-SiC on insulator (SiCOI) substrate with a silicon handle layer. By manipulating the beam’s geometrical dimensions, we demonstrate the capability to define the TCF turnover point from -20°C to 100°C and tailor the overall frequency shift. The fabrication process ensures strong covalent interlayer bonds in the 4H-SiCOI substrate, eliminating frequency hysteresis and enhancing yield and stability metrics. We conducted comprehensive short- and long-term stability tests, showing that our resonators exhibit negligible frequency hysteresis across temperature cycles and exceptional long-term stability. Our findings enrich the current understanding of 4H-SiC MEMS resonator thermal stability and pave the way for future innovations in timekeeping and frequency reference technologies. This study underscores the potential of stress-modulated 4H-SiC resonators as reliable, efficient, and versatile instruments for advanced precision timing applications. Full Text Additional Declarations There is a conflict of interest Y.L., Z.L., and F.A. are inventors of the technology being used in this study and are involved in the efforts to explore its commercialization. The terms of this arrangement have been reviewed and approved by Georgia Tech in accordance with its conflict-of-interest policies. The rest of the authors declare no conflicts of interest. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4511152","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":310755559,"identity":"5b424cb5-4ca2-4951-8493-374980f385dd","order_by":0,"name":"Yaoyao Long","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA20lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACdhBRISEH5jA2AIkDhLQwg4gzNsZgFvFaGFvSEhuI1mJwmPnYw68Nh9Pnu58/+ODnDgY5vhsJhLSwpRvL7jicu/FMMrNh7xkGY0nCWnjMpCXPALU0JLNJM7YxJG4gTkvb4XTD/sfsv4Fa6onSIvmxLS1BXiKZjRmoJcGAkBbJw2xp0sBANtwg8dhYsrdNwnDmmQf4tfAdbz4m+aNCQl6+P/Hhh59tNvJ8xwnYonAAGDU8IBceAPMl8CsHAfkGYAT+gDJGwSgYBaNgFGAFAHQFSP5PoqmmAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Geogia Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yaoyao","middleName":"","lastName":"Long","suffix":""},{"id":310755560,"identity":"486fd93a-f4b2-4328-953b-4478f2b5eca9","order_by":1,"name":"Zhenming Liu","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5196-035X","institution":"StethX Microsystems Inc","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zhenming","middleName":"","lastName":"Liu","suffix":""},{"id":310755561,"identity":"70c930e9-606f-42b3-9a09-60d2702e868a","order_by":2,"name":"Xinyu Jiang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Georgia Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xinyu","middleName":"","lastName":"Jiang","suffix":""},{"id":310755562,"identity":"f6ae166e-be9d-4f0b-8dc4-af543a454c7c","order_by":3,"name":"Ningxin Li","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Georgia Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ningxin","middleName":"","lastName":"Li","suffix":""},{"id":310755563,"identity":"6b82da9a-ec0a-42a0-9d01-b3ff6dc0be97","order_by":4,"name":"Farrokh Ayazi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Georgia Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Farrokh","middleName":"","lastName":"Ayazi","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-05-31 22:00:29","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4511152/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4511152/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":63940733,"identity":"46e24429-a050-47b3-8b45-94fc4cb09728","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-09-04 04:48:54","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1031093,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"MicronanoTCFYLfinal.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4511152/v1_covered_6730b10a-b012-48d2-919e-a2208c05e39c.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"There is a conflict of interest\nY.L., Z.L., and F.A. are inventors of the technology being used in this study and are involved in the efforts to explore its commercialization. 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While quartz-based oscillators have historically dominated the market, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators are emerging as potential successors, albeit with challenges related to thermal frequency drifts. This paper presents doubly-clamped beam resonators in monocrystalline 4H-silicon carbide (4H-SiC), showcasing a tunable local zero Temperature Coefficient of Frequency (TCF) across a wide temperature range. Our novel approach employs axial stress to counteract temperature-induced softening in the 4H-SiC beam, leveraging the unique attributes of a 4H-SiC on insulator (SiCOI) substrate with a silicon handle layer. By manipulating the beam’s geometrical dimensions, we demonstrate the capability to define the TCF turnover point from -20°C to 100°C and tailor the overall frequency shift. The fabrication process ensures strong covalent interlayer bonds in the 4H-SiCOI substrate, eliminating frequency hysteresis and enhancing yield and stability metrics. 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