Fabrication of aluminium doped zinc oxide piezoelectric thin film on a silicon substrate for piezoelectric MEMS energy harvesters

Thin film piezoelectric materials play an essential role in micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) energy harvesting due to its low power requirement and high available energy densities. Non-ferroelectric piezoelectric materials such as ZnO and AlN are highly silicon compatible making it suitable for MEMS energy harvesters in self-powered microsystems. This work primarily describe the design, simulation and fabrication of aluminium doped zinc oxide (AZO) cantilever beam deposited on <100> silicon substrate. AZO was chosen due its high piezoelectric coupling coefficient, ease of deposition and excellent bonding with silicon substrate. Doping of ZnO with Al has improved the electrical properties, conductivity and thermal stability. The proposed design operates in transversal mode (d ₃₁ mode) which was structured as a parallel plated capacitor using Si/Al/AZO/Al layers. The highlight of this work is the successful design and fabrication of Al/AZO/Al on <100> silicon as the substrate to make the device CMOS compatible for electronic functionality integration. Design and finite element modeling was conducted using COMSOL? software to estimate the resonance frequency. RF Magnetron sputtering was chosen as the deposition method for aluminium and AZO. Material characterization was performed using X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy to evaluate the piezoelectric qualities, surface morphology and the cross section. The fabricated energy harvester generated 1.61?V open circuit output voltage at 7.77?MHz resonance frequency. The experimental results agreed with the simulation results. The measured output voltage is sufficient for low power wireless sensor nodes as an alternative power sources to traditional chemical batteries.     

Fabrication and characterization of PECVD silicon nitride for RF MEMS applications

The structural, optical and electrical properties of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride layers are investigated, which have been used as a dielectric layer during RF MEMS fabrication. During growth, the gas ratio (SiH₄/NH₃) is varied between 0.33 and 0.5 and pressure is varied between 400 and 700 mTorr while deposition time is kept constant. The results in the films show differing properties. The thicknesses of the resultant films are between 150 to 220 nm with different gas flow ratios and pressures whereas the deposition time was kept constant. A Bruggeman effective medium approximation is utilized to model the refractive index of the films. Reflectance measurements were carried out in the range of 210–250 nm. The refractive indexes of the films varied between 1.79 and 2.03, with a dielectric constant varying from 6.66 to 7.22. Capacitance voltage measurements yield a fixed dielectric charge value in the low ?10¹² cm^?2 while a breakdown voltage of 915 V μm^?1 is achieved for films grown at the lowest gas ratio and pressure. The quality of Si/Si_xN_y interface is also considered.     

Fabrication and evaluation of aluminum nitride based MEMS piezoelectric vibration sensors for large-amplitude vibration applications

Microsystem Technologies - In this work, we designed a novel structure to produce vibration sensors with a linear voltage output that are suitable for large-amplitude vibration applications....     

Design and analysis of perforated MEMS resonator

Microsystem Technologies - In this paper, we have designed an optimal design of microelectromechanical (MEMS) resonator. The paper explains the idea of suitable design, modeling and optimization of...     

Fabrication and characterization of a monolithic piezoelectric actuator for fiber coupling

PZT thick-films are printed on an Al₂O₃-substrate, generating a cantilever monomorph. A task of positioning with two degrees of freedom is successfully fulfilled. It is realized by two parallel arranged cantilevers that are mechanically combined with a bar that has solid hinges. Different combinations of hinges are simulated and practically tested. In the presented work, a lens is successfully positioned in front of a laser diode. The loss of the coupling efficiency due to the shrinking of the adhesive joint can be scaled down. The paper presents the theoretical work including the report on analytic and FEM simulation of both deflection and stress. The practical validation is also presented. A simple sensor system is used to find an optimized position of the lens in front of the diode. This position is automatically held over a long period of time. With the fabrication of the actuator using thick-film printing and laser cutting a low cost device is built.     

Development of piezoelectric MEMS deformable mirror

This paper reports on piezoelectric micro-electro-mechanical systems deformable mirrors with high-density actuator array for low-voltage and high-resolution retinal imaging with adaptive optics. The deformable mirror was composed of unimorph structure of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin film deposited on Pt-coated silicon on insulator substrate and a diaphragm of 10?mm in diameter formed by backside-etching the Si handle wafer. 61 hexagonal electrodes were laid out on the PZT thin film for the high-density actuator array. In order to reduce the dead space for the lead lines between the electrodes and connecting pads, a polyimide layer with through holes on the electrodes was patterned as an electrical insulator. To confirm the application feasibility of the fabricated DMs, displacement profiles of the actuators were measured by a laser Doppler vibrometer. Independent applications of voltages on individual actuators were confirmed.     

Tunable MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesting device

This work is focused on low frequency (<300 Hz) vibrations due to the fact that many industrial and commercial devices operate at those frequencies. The aim of the present work is to model by numerical simulation a Si cantilever beam with an AlN piezoelectric layer concept that tunes its resonant frequency post-processing, while reducing the separation of the first two modes of resonance in order to broaden its quality factor and, therefore, to harvest more environmental energy. This paper investigates by numerical simulation the influence of perforating sections of the Si beam has on the resonant frequencies of the cantilever. The authors have found that the distance between these modes is decreased by 30 % when 0.002 mm³ is extracted in a specific location of the initial structure. This difference between modes can be reduced above 80 % if a volume of 0.004 mm³ in a specific part of the initial design is subtracted. In these conditions, the first mode is decreased about 20 % the initial value and the second mode about 60 %.     

Design of a novel RF MEMS square resonator

A novel kind of RF MEMS square resonator with a movable electrode structure that is driven by electrostatic force is proposed. Within the scope of the fabrication process allowed, the gap between the movable electrode and resonance square is decreased from 2.5 to 0.5 μm, which greatly reduces motional resistance so that resonator is easier to resonate. Then the DC driving voltage that makes electrode move setting displacement is deduced theoretically. The finite element simulation and analysis software ANSYS are used to validate mechanical vibration modal and determine center frequency of resonator. In addition, simulation of harmonic analysis is applied to obtain the change of output current and motional resistance before and after the electrode moving. Moreover, the design can also, to a certain extent, ease the difficulty of manufacturing the small gap in the micro-processing technology.     

A MEMS reconfigurable DGS resonator for K-band applications

A MEMS reconfigurable defected-ground-structure (DGS) resonator using two-dimensional (2-D) periodic DGS for coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission line and RF MEMS series-resistive switches is proposed. The introduced MEMS reconfigurable DGS resonator has approximately a fixed bandwidth of 8.1 GHz over a wideband frequency range (K-band). The proposed structure can be designed easily for other frequency bands by changing the number of unit-cells of the 2-D PDGS. A cascaded two parallel-resonance circuit model for the MEMS reconfigurable DGS resonator has been introduced as well. The equivalent circuit parameters extraction methods have also been derived. Simulations based on the proposed circuit model are in a very good agreement with the electromagnetic (EM) simulations, which suggests that the MEMS reconfigurable DGS resonator is an inductive controlled reconfigured structure. The structure is designed in CPW environment on a high-resistivity silicon substrate. It is therefore suitable for monolithic integration with standard IC process.     

Fabrication and characterization of a piezoelectric micromirror using for optical data tracking of high-density storage

A micromirror actuated by three piezoelectric microcantilevers is presented for optical data tracking of high-density storage application. The microcantilevers are actuated by 2.5-μm-thick lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films which are deposited on the silicon-based substrate by a compatible sol–gel route. The X-ray diffraction result shows that the PZT film is perovskite structure and has a typical good ferroelectric loop. The quasi-static displacement of the mirror plate increases linearly with increasing the driving voltage and the tracking resolution on disk is as high as 8 nm/V. The micromirror also provides a high bandwidth of about 21 kHz, which is high enough to support the optical data tracking of future high-density storage.     

新型MEMS热流陀螺的制造

MEMS热流陀螺是一种基于热流体理论的新型陀螺.该器件利用封闭腔体内的气体作为敏感元件,代替了常规MEMS陀螺的复杂振动结构和悬挂质量块,具有抗大冲击、体积小、重量轻、成本低、可批量化生产等优点.本研究的目的是为了验证MEMS热流陀螺的可行性,主要介绍该器件的研制过程,包括流体场仿真和工艺实现.最后得到了MEMS热流陀螺及其输出曲线,测试结果很好地验证了基于热流体理论的MEMS热流陀螺的可行性.     

A comparative study on MEMS piezoelectric microgenerators

The growing demand of wireless sensor networks has created the necessity of miniature, portable, long lasting and easily recharged sources of power. Traditional, hazardous batteries are rendered unacceptable and the viability of ‘green’ MEMS energy harvesters has become even more dominant. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesters which promise a cleaner environment and eliminate the disposal issue of conventional batteries. Piezoelectric devices are the perfect candidate for implementation in micro generators as they are easily fabricated, are silicon compatible and demonstrate high efficiencies for mechanical to electrical energy conversion. The characteristic equations which govern the conversion of mechanical vibration to electrical power are described in this paper. The typical operating modes for MEMS piezoelectric energy cantilevers which are namely; d₃₁ and d₃₃ are also detailed. Criteria for optimum material suitable for MEMS energy scavengers to produce maximum power output are also outlined. Several MEMS energy harvesters which have been successfully fabricated and tested are also critically reviewed in this paper. Finally a comparison table highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each work is presented.     

Characterization of selective polysilicon deposition for MEMS resonator tuning

Variations in micromachining processes cause submicron differences in the size of MEMS devices, which leads to frequency scatter in resonators. A new method of compensating for fabrication process variations is to add material to MEMS structures by the selective deposition of polysilicon. It is performed by electrically heating the MEMS in a 25/spl deg/C silane environment to activate the local decomposition of the gas. On a (1.0/spl times/1.5/spl times/100) /spl mu/m/sup 3/, clamped-clamped, polysilicon beam, at a power dissipation of 2.38 mW (peak temperature of 699/spl deg/C), a new layer of polysilicon (up to 1 /spl mu/m thick) was deposited in 10 min. The deposition rate was three times faster than conventional LPCVD rates for polysilicon. When selective polysilicon deposition (SPD) was applied to the frequency tuning of specially-designed, comb-drive resonators, a correlation was found between the change in resonant frequency and the length of the newly deposited material (the hotspot) on the resonator's suspension beams. A second correlation linked the length of the hotspot to the magnitude of the power fluctuation during the deposition trial. The mechanisms for changing resonant frequency by the SPD process include increasing mass and stiffness and altering residual stress. The effects of localized heating are presented. The experiments and simulations in this work yield guidelines for tuning resonators to a target frequency.     

Evaluation of low-acceleration MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesting devices

Microelectromechanical systems-based piezoelectric energy harvesting device research is continuing to increase due to high demands in powering wireless sensor networks. This paper compares three different cantilever structures that have been the most widely used designs in MEMS energy harvesting devices. The cantilever structures consist of a wide beam, narrow beam, and trapezoidal beam structure. Aluminium nitride was used as the piezoelectric material because of its CMOS compatibility. Finite element modelling was used to investigate the theoretical outputs of the devices prior to fabrication. The three different structures were fabricated using standard micro-fabrication techniques on SOI wafers in order to verify the results experimentally. The finite element modelling results agree with the experimental results. The AlN deposited on the experimental wafers had a (002) FWHM rocking curve value of 1.7°. The power density based on the volume of space needed to fabricate the structures was 2.5, 0.78, and 0.65 mW/cm³/g² at resonant frequency for the wide, trapezoidal, and narrow beam structures respectively. The bandwidth of the devices is also an important parameter when selecting the cantilever structure. An array of the cantilevers over a 4 cm² area resulted in a bandwidth of was 4.8, 9, and 26.4 Hz for the wide, trapezoidal, and narrow beam structures respectively.     

金属多环振动盘MEMS微陀螺及其微加工工艺

基于硅基振动盘微陀螺采用金属材料作为振子,提出了一种金属结构多环振动盘MEMS微陀螺,通过使用电镀工艺,实现了金属结构多环振动盘微陀螺的低成本低温加工方法.通过研究振动盘式微陀螺的工作原理及检测和驱动方法,设计了多环振动盘微陀螺的结构.使用有限元方法对陀螺金属振子进行了动力学仿真,验证了金属结构多环振动盘陀螺的可行性,并对微陀螺的加工工艺流程进行了微加工制作,获得了微陀螺芯片.研究解决了实现金属结构多环振动盘微陀螺的关键技术.     

Fabrication of piezoelectric multilayer thin-film actuators

In this study, we fabricated multilayer ceramics (MLCs) composed of multilayered Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) piezoelectric thin films with internal electrodes and evaluated their dielectric and piezoelectric properties. The stack of PZT ferroelectric layers (550 nm) and SrRuO₃ (SRO, 80 nm) electrodes were alternatively deposited on Pt/Ti-coated silicon-on-insulator substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The MLCs composed of one, three, and five PZT layers were fabricated by the alternate sputtering deposition of PZT ferroelectric layers and SRO electrodes through the movable shadow mask. The capacitances of MLCs were proportionally increased with the number of PZT layers, while their relative dielectric constants were almost same among the each MLC. The MLCs exhibited symmetric and saturated P–E hysteresis loops similar to the conventional PZT thin films. We estimated that the piezoelectric properties of MLCs by FEM simulation, and confirmed that the effective transverse piezoelectric coefficients (d _31,eff ) increased with the number of PZT layers. The piezoelectric coefficients calculated to be d _31,eff  = ?2964 pC/N at 25 PZT layers, which is much higher than those of conventional single-layer piezoelectric thin films.     

超高频体模式MEMS谐振器及其传感系统平台技术研究

针对体模式MEMS谐振器激励和响应信号的特点,设计集成了激励信号产生和微弱信号检测的传感测量系统。系统通过对谐振器的扫频激励和检测响应信号,可以准确测量谐振器的谐振频率和Q值特性。为了有效测量谐振器产生的高频微弱位移电流信号,系统设计使用频谱搬移的测量方法。该方法通过把包含在高频信号中的有效信息搬移到低频端进行信号处理,可以提高信号抗噪声的能力,实现对微安量级的高频电流放大检测。