Basic investigations on a piezoelectric bending actuator for micro-electro-mechanical applications

Abstract

This article deals with basic investigations into the development and manufacturing process of a piezoelectric animated micro actuator. The concept of the fabrication of a piezoelectric microactuator will be introduced and first fundamental investigations on materials characterization and process technology for the Pt bottom electrode and piezoelectric PZT layer will be presented. PZT thin film have been deposited with the chemical solution deposition (CSD) technique and have been characterized with dielectric and ferroelectric measurements. For optimization of actuator properties an analytical approach and a simulation with finite element method was carried out. This shows that the cantilever must have a length above 300 μm to reach a tip deflection higher than 10 μm at voltages comparable to those used in integrated circuits (IC). Additionally, stress measurements of each layer have been used to characterize the films mechanically.     

Chemically derived seeding layer for {100}-textured PZT thin films

PZT thin films are used extensively in micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) due to its high piezoelectric coefficients. The electromechanical responses can be optimized by using textured films where the transverse coefficient e_31,f is of particular importance for MEMS structures such as cantilevers, bridges and membranes. It has been shown that {100}-textured PZT of morphotropic composition fabricated by chemical solution deposition (CSD) provides the highest transverse coefficient [1]. This specific texture can be obtained using a seeding layer of sputter deposited PbTiO₃ [2]. However, in a CSD process it is advantageous to also be able to produce the seed layer by chemical methods. The piezoelectric and dielectric properties of 2 μm PZT film seeded by CSD PbTiO₃ measured by a new 4-point bending setup are presented.     

Piezoelectric and dielectric aging in pb(zr,ti)o3 thin films and bulk ceramics

Abstract

Piezoelectric and dielectric aging was studied in Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) thin films and bulk ceramics. It was found that piezoelectric aging in thin films obeys the logarithmic time dependence with the relative aging rate much higher than that of the dielectric constant, while comparable aging rates of piezoelectric and dielectric constants were found in PZT ceramics. The origin of piezoelectric aging in PZT films was related to depolarization of the films rather than to suppression of the domain wall motion as was generally accepted for PZT ceramics.     

Studies on piezo coefficients of PLD and sol-gel grown PZT thin film for devices

Abstract

The effect of electrical (DC) contact poling processes on the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of sol–gel and pulsed laser-deposited PZT thin films has been investigated as a function of the poling field, temperature and time. The remnant polarization and piezoelectric coefficient are found to increase with and saturate at dc-poling field of 100- 300?kV/cm, temperature of 100–120?°C and poling time of 10–20?min. as compared with un-poled PZT thin films. The P-E hysteresis loops of poled PLD grown PZT films shows sharper switching behaviour as compared to imbalanced loop in sol-gel grown films. An improvement of piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties of sol–gel PZT thin films is found, as compared to those deposited using pulsed laser deposition (PLD), indicating that a poling process is required for sol–gel PZT thin films.     

LARGE AREA PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATORS USING METAL FOIL SUBSTRATES WITH Pb(Zrx,Ti1 - x)O3 THIN FILMS

ABSTRACT

We report on the deposition of Pb(Zr_x,Ti_{1 - x})O₃ (PZT) thin films by chemical solution deposition (CSD) on stainless steel foils. The electrical characterization proves good ferroelectric properties with a remnant polarization of 38 μ C/cm². Since PZT is also piezoelectric the 35 μ m and 50 μ m thick metal foils are used to make piezoelectric actuated cantilever beams of several millimeter lengths. Actuated with 10–30 V a displacement up to 32 μ m was measured in quasi-static mode. In resonance mode the displacement increases several times at the same driving voltage.     

Extensive electromechanical characterization of PZT thin films for MEMS applications by electrical and mechanical excitation signals

In this work we present a unique measurement method to estimate the effective transverse piezocoefficient e _31,f of piezoelectric thin films which is often used in micro electromechanical systems (MEMS). This method utilizes basically a 4-point bending setup specially adapted to be used with thin film samples. It allows the application of very homogeneous well defined mechanical stresses to the device. Stress and corresponding strain distribution are verified by Finite Element simulations. Measurements are shown to demonstrate the capability and repeatability of the setup on sol-gel processed PZT thin film samples. In conjunction with additional measurement results it is possible to fully determine the electromechanical characteristics.     

Fabrication process of pzt piezoelectric cantilever unimorphs using surface micromachining

Abstract

This paper discusses the fabrication process and challenges for fabrication of piezoelectric cantilever beam microaccelerometers by using surface micromachining techniques. PZT thin films were used as the piezoelectric material to detect the acceleration of the cantilever beam. In this paper, we discuss in detail the process challenges encountered in piezoelectric microaccelerometers. These major challenges include PZT thin film deposition and encapsulation during final micromachining membrane release.     

Comparing macroscopic and microscopic properties of seeded ferroelectric thin films

The comparison of macroscopic and microscopic properties of ferroelectric thin films in the systems of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and strontium bismuth tantalate (SBT) with and without seeds is carried out. Microscopic properties were studied by piezo-response force microscopy (PFM). The local piezoelectric properties with and without seeds are compared with their macroscopic electric properties measured by conventional techniques. Previous microstructure analysis of PZT thin films showed that an intermetallic Pt _x Pb layer between PZT and Pt, formed during the annealing process, was reduced and even eliminated in seeded PZT films. In SBT films, the addition of SBT seeds suppressed the interdiffusion of Pt and film components. Hence, the interfaces of PZT/substrate and SBT/substrate are modified by the presence of seeds, and their electrical properties are improved. In both PZT and SBT films, the remanent polarization values are higher in seeded films than in unseeded ones. Similarly, local piezo-response signal of single grain showed higher longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient d ₃₃ in seeded films than in unseeded ones. The critical voltage in which the ferroelectric domain starts to switch is lower in seeded films than in unseeded ones. The analysis of nanoscale switching in PZT and SBT films by PFM is presented and related to the corresponding macroscopic electric properties.     

Piezoelectric PZT films for MEMS and their characterization by interferometry

Piezoelectric films can be used in micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) devices because the piezoelectric effect can provide high forces with relatively low energy losses. The energy output by a piezoelectric film per unit area is proportional to the film thickness, so it is desirable to have relatively thick films. Chemical solution deposition (CSD) techniques were used to prepare lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films with Zr/Ti ratios of 30/70 and 52/48. Usually CSD processing is restricted to making crack-free single layer films of ca 70 nm thick, but modifications to the sol-gel process have permitted the fabrication of dense, crack-free single layers up to 200–300 nm thick, which can be built-up into layers up to 3 μm thick. Thicker PZT films (> 2 μm single layer) can be produced by using a composite sol-gel/ceramic process. Knowledge of the electro-active properties of these materials is essential for modeling and design of novel MEMS devices and accurate measurement of these properties is by no means straightforward. A novel double beam common path laser interferometer has been developed to measure the piezoelectric coefficient in films and the results were compared with the values obtained by Berlincourt method. A laser scanning vibrometer was also used to measuring the longitudinal (d ₃₃) and transverse (d ₃₁) piezoelectric coefficients for PZT films and ceramics and the results were compared to those obtained by the other methods. It was found that for thin film samples, the d _33,f values obtained from the Belincourt method is usually larger than those obtained from the interferometer method but smaller than those from the vibrometer method and the reasons for this are discussed.     

Large area deposition of Pb(Zr,Ti)O<Subscript>3</Subscript> thin films for piezoelectric MEMS devices

Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) thin films deposited on insulating ZrO₂ buffered silicon wafer are intended to be employed for in-plane polarized piezoelectric MEMS devices. Multi-target reactive sputtering system for large area deposition of in-situ crystallized PZT thin films and the ZrO₂ buffer layer has been employed. The interface analysis of multilayer structures by high resolution transmission microscope, X-ray diffraction, optical refraction, and absorption spectra studies has been presented. At a substrate temperature of 520°C and excess lead deposition condition, the formation of a PZT superstructure has been revealed. The substrate temperature of 580°C leads to the crystallization of PZT directly into a single phase perovskite crystal structure. A pronounced Urbach behavior in our PZT thin films has been observed by optical absorption studies. The surface roughness of PZT films deposited on a ZrO₂ buffer layer is much higher than that on conducting platinized silicon wafer.     

Development of Deformable Mirror Composed of Piezoelectric Thin Films for Adaptive Optics

In this paper, we report a piezoelectric deformable mirror composed of piezoelectric thin films for low-voltage adaptive optics (AO). A 2-mum-thick piezoelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) film was deposited on a Pt-coated silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, and a diaphragm structure of 15 mm in diameter was fabricated by etching a Si handle wafer. A 19-element unimorph actuator array was produced on the PZT films with an Al reflective layer over the backside of the diaphragm. Measurements of the displacement profile using a laser Doppler vibrometer demonstrated that a large displacement of approximately 1 mum was obtained by applying a voltage of 10 V_pp on one actuator. To examine the application feasibility of the deformable mirror to AO, we reproduced low-order Zernike modes by calculating the voltage on each individual electrode using an influence function matrix. The measurements demonstrated that the deformable mirror could produce the Zernike modes up to the seventh term. Considering the low-voltage actuation as well as the capability for miniaturization of the electrode size, deformable mirrors (DMs) actuated by PZT films are desirable for low-cost AO     

Fabrication and Electromechanical Properties of Piezoelectric Micro-Transducers for Smart Device

We have fabricated piezoelectrically driven micro-transducer for the application to smart device. Two types of micro-transducers, i.e., micro-cantilever and micro-bridge, have been designed and fabricated. Finite element method (FEM) simulation was performed on the micro-transducer with various length and shapes. Lead zirconate titanate thin film as a piezoelectric layer was incorporated into the micro-transducer. The transducer structure consists of PZT thin layer capacitor, low temperature oxide (LTO) and low stress SiN_x layer. Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃ (PZT) films were prepared by diol-based sol-gel process. The PZT films were not damaged by fabrication process and thus maintained their electrical properties in the transducer structure after all the fabrication steps. The dielectric constant and loss of the PZT film in the transducer structure were 870 and 2% respectively. The remanent polarization was 20 μC/cm². The micro-cantilever had a fundamental resonant frequency in the range of 16 to 25 kHz when its length was in the range of 320 μm to 380 μm. Meanwhile, the resonant frequency of the micro-bridge was higher by a factor of 7 than that of the micro-cantilever with a similar dimension.     

Effect of Gd doping on crystalline orientation,structural and electric properties of PZT thin films prepared by Sol-Gel methods

Gadolinium (Gd)-doped lead zirconium titanate (PGZT) thin films have been prepared by Sol-Gel methods to investigate the effects of Gd doping on crystalline orientation, structural and electric properties of lead zirconium titanate (PZT) films according to doping concentration from 0% to 5%. Conventional heat process and appropriate doping concentration, without introducing a single crystal seed layer, were used for obtaining (100)-oriented PGZT thin films with dense columnar structures. The maximum dielectric constant (1310.35 at 100 Hz) and the optimum ferroelectric properties were obtained for 2% Gd-doped film. 1% Gd-doped PZT film exhibited excellent piezoelectric properties.     

Self-polarization effect in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films

Abstract

The self-polarization effect is investigated in Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) thin films deposited by sol-gel and magnetron sputtering techniques. The effective piezoelectric coefficient of as-grown films, which is proportional to their initial polarization (self-polarization), is measured by a sensitive interferometric technique as a function of the annealing temperature, PZT composition, film thickness and bottom electrode material. The results indicate that the films are self-polarized by an internal bias field upon cooling through the phase transition temperature. It is suggested that a built-in field of a Schottky barrier between the PZT film and the bottom electrode is responsible for the observed effect. Self-polarization of the films is found to be very stable and in some cases to be as high as 90% of that produced by the subsequent room temperature poling. This property is very useful for piezoelectric and pyroelectric applications of PZT films since the poling procedure can be avoided. The properties of self-polarization are found to be similar for the films produced by sol-gel and sputtering techniques, suggesting that the same mechanism is operative in both cases.     

Miniature Microphone with Silicon-Based Ferroelectric Thin Films

A miniature microphone with silicon-based lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films has been fabricated and tested. The main structure of the device is composed of Al/Pt/PZT/Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si₃N₄/SiO₂/Si multi-layer diaphragm. The PZT thin films have been prepared using an improved sol-gel method. Optimized fabrication process of the device has been developed, especially, RIE (reactive ion etching) and IBE (ion beam etching) processes have been used to etch the PZT thin film and electrode metal successfully. The sensitivity of microphone is 16 mV/Pa at 1 KHz and 158 mV/Pa at the resonant frequency of 17.3 KHz. The electrical and thermal reliability of the microphone is satisfactory. This miniature microphone can be widely used in hearing aids, mobile phones, and many other applications.     

Effect of Buffer Layer on the Properties of Laser Ablated PZT Thin Films

Lead zirconate titanate (PbZr _x Ti_1?x O₃) or PZT ceramics are a class of piezoelectric materials that are currently experiencing widespread use in industry as electromechanical devices. PtSi/ZnO/PZT thin films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition at relatively low substrate temperature. The PZT thin films on PtSi substrates and on ZnO buffer layer were deposited at substrate temperature 300°C. The composition analysis shows that the film deposited at low temperature is stoichiometric. The films exhibit ferroelectric nature with coercive field of 19.6 kV/cm for 800 nm thick film. The leakage current density of the films shows a good insulating behavior.     

Design of a Triaxial Piezoelectric Accelerometer

A monolithic MEMS triaxial accelerometer based on piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films with highly symmetric quad-beams and a seismic mass, has been designed and simulated. Theoretical and numerical models for this structure are presented. The dynamic response and the trade-off between several design considerations are discussed. Static and modal simulations with FEM (Finite Element Method) simulator have been performed to analyze the mechanical response. It shows that the sensitivities of the three axes (X, Y, Z) are respectively 27, 27, and 29 mv/g, and there is almost no transverse sensitivity for the accelerometer. Also, the device is expected to have good temperature performance.     

EFFECT OF SILICON CARBIDE PASSIVATION FILM ON THE RESONANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF CANTILEVER

ABSTRACT

We have used silicon carbide (SiC) thin films as an insulating material of the PZT micro cantilevers for electrical and biological passivation. The use of SiC thin films as a passivation layer of the PZT microcantilevers is also seemingly viable to insure the high mass sensitivity as well as the stable passivation. In this study, we report the effect of SiC passivation layer on the performance of the PZT microcantilevers. The micromachined PZT microcantilevers having a structure of SiN_x/Ta/Pt/PZT/Pt were fabricated through MEMS processes. In order to improve the mass sensitivity and the passivation, SiC thin films of the high elasticity material were deposited on the cantilever using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at the temperature of 400°C. Plane-strain modulus of SiC thin film was measured by nanoindentation. We observed that SiC thin films showed higher Young's modulus than Si and SiO₂. Before and after the deposition of SiC thin films, the end-tip deflection and the resonant frequency change of microcantilevers were measured by a confocal microscope and an impedance analyzer. It was confirmed that end-tip deflection of microcantilever was reduced by 13～18% through the deposition of SiC thin films, indicating the stress relaxation of the microcantilevers.     

Piezoelectric and Pyroelectric Properties of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 Films for Micro-Sensors and Actuators

The piezoelectric and the pyroelectric properties of PZT films are systematically investigated for tetragonal (Zr/Ti = 30/70), morphotropic (52/48), and rhombohedral (70/30) compositions. The magnitude of the effective longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient (d₃₃) and pyroelectric coefficient (p) of these films is measured by atomic force microscopy and Byer-Roundy method, respectively. All films are consistently highly textured (111) orientation and have dense microstructures. Slightly less degree of texture in higher Zr-rich composition is observed due to the lattice mismatch between PZT and Pt bottom electrode and higher activation energy for nucleation. Squareness of polarization hysteresis loops is optimized in tetragonal composition, which indicates the tetragonal PZT is closer to the ideal hysteresis behavior than other compositions. It is shown that the piezoelectric coefficient and the pyroelectric figure of merit are dependent on the dielectric properties of the films. The morphotropic PZT films with high dielectric constant and low pyroelectric figure of merit show the largest piezoelectric coefficient values, while the tetragonal PZT films with low dielectric constant and high remanent polarization values show the largest pyroelectric figure of merit compared to other compositions, which indicate the suitability for PIR sensor devices.     

Triaxial MEMS accelerometer with screen printed PZT thick film

Piezoelectric thick films have increasing interest due to the potential high sensitivity and actuation force for MEMS sensors and actuators. The screen printing technique is a promising deposition technique for realizing piezoelectric thick films in the thickness range from 10–100 μm. In this work integration of a screen printed piezoelectric PZT thick film with silicon MEMS technology is shown. A high bandwidth triaxial accelerometer has been designed, fabricated and characterized. The voltage sensitivity is 0.31 mV/g in the vertical direction, 0.062 mV/g in the horizontal direction and the first mode resonance frequency is 11 kHz. A Finite Element Method (FEM) model is used to validate the measured sensitivity and resonance frequency. Good agreement between the model and the measurements is seen.