Patent ID: 8729973

Claim:
A MEMS resonator, comprising: a resonator body; an anchor, which provides a fixed connection between the resonator body and a support body; a resistive heating element having a first end, a second end, and an elongated portion extending from the first end to the second end, a length of the elongated portion including a plurality of 0.1 μm segments, each of the segments having a respective dependency of its temperature on ambient temperature during operation of the resistive heating element; and a feedback control system configured and arranged to control the resistive heating element to provide heating to maintain the resonator body at a constant temperature, wherein the first and second ends of the resistive heating element are exposed to ambient temperature, wherein the resistive heating element is configured and arranged to provide an output voltage which is supplied to the feedback control system for maintaining a fixed temperature of the resonator body based on the output voltage, and wherein the anchor is coupled to the one of the plurality of segments having the lowest dependency of its temperature on the ambient temperature; and wherein the resistive heating element comprises first and second resistors in series, with the output voltage defined at a junction between the resistors.