Rich Ruby

Rich Ruby received his BS, MS and PhD from U.C. Berkeley in ’77, ’79 and ’84 in the area of superconductivity. After a variety of stints in the area of E-beam lithography, X-Ray lithography, packaging and superconductivity, Rich started a project in HP Laboratories in 1993 on FBAR. What started out as a one person research project has grown to an organization in excess of 300 people in the business of selling high volume FBAR filters, duplexers and multiplexers. He has been awarded the Bill Hewlett Prize the Barney Oliver Prize as well as the Samuel Silver Prize. He has over 70 patents or patents pending.

We present a new method of measuring unloaded Q based on S-Parameter data extracted from resonator measurements that allows one to plot the unloaded Q vs freq. for any resonator. This new way of measuring Q has several advantages as compared to older techniques. There are also several caveats when using this technique, that will be discussed. However, when used correctly, the new Q equation gives insight into Q losses due to parasitic modes, the effect resonator impedance has on Q and most important, a consistent means to compare one resonator technology Q versus another. This technique will be used as a stepping stone to evaluate, MEMs whispering gallery mode resonators, AlN Contour Mode Resonators, QMEMS resonators, SAW resonators, SMR-BAW resonators and FBAR resonators. Various Figures of merit (FOM) will be discussed in the context of each technology.