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Investigation of top electrode for PZT thick films based MEMS sensors

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Abstract

In this work processing of screen printed piezoelectric PZT thick films on silicon substrates is investigated for use in future MEMS devices. E-beam evaporated Al and Pt are patterned on PZT as a top electrode using a lift-off process with a line width down to 3 μm. Three test structures are used to investigate the optimal thickness of the top electrode, the degradation of the piezoelectric properties of the PZT film in absence of a diffusion barrier layer and finally how to fabricate electrical interconnects down the edge of the PZT thick film. The roughness of the PZT is found to have a strong influence on the conductance of the top electrode influencing the optimal top electrode thickness. A 100 nm thick top electrode on the PZT thick film with a surface roughness of 273 nm has a 4.5 times higher resistance compared to a similar wire on a planar SiO2 surface which has a surface roughness of less than 10 nm. It is found that the piezoelectric properties of the PZT thick film are degraded up to 1,000 μm away from a region of the PZT thick film that is exposed directly to the silicon substrate without a diffusion barrier layer. Finally, ferroelectric hysteresis loops are used to verify that the piezoelectric properties of the PZT thick film are unchanged after the processing of the top electrode.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

    Christian C. Hindrichsen, Thomas Pedersen, Paw T. Kristiansen & Erik V. Thomsen

  2. InSensor A/S, Kvistgaard, Denmark

    Rasmus Lou-Møller

  3. Ferroperm Piezoceramics A/S, Kvistgaard, Denmark

    Karsten Hansen

Authors
  1. Christian C. Hindrichsen
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  2. Thomas Pedersen
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  3. Paw T. Kristiansen
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  4. Rasmus Lou-Møller
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  5. Karsten Hansen
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  6. Erik V. Thomsen
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Correspondence to Christian C. Hindrichsen.

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Hindrichsen, C.C., Pedersen, T., Kristiansen, P.T. et al. Investigation of top electrode for PZT thick films based MEMS sensors. J Electroceram 25, 150–158 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10832-010-9606-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10832-010-9606-7

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