High Electromechanical Coupling Coefficient Research Articles

Theoretical investigation of Rayleigh-type surface acoustic waves with high electromechanical coupling coefficient in c-axis-tilted ScAlN film/3C-SiC substrate structure

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators are essential components of mobile communication technology. Advanced performance SAW resonators are needed to support beyond fifth-generation mobile communication technology, which aims to achieve unprecedentedly high data rates and low latency using wide frequency bands in the RF spectrum. This study theoretically investigates the propagation characteristics of a non-leaky Rayleigh-type SAW (RSAW) propagating in a c-axis-tilted ScAlN film/3C-SiC substrate structure. By appropriately selecting the c-axis tilt angle and the film thickness of the ScAlN film, a high electromechanical coupling coefficient (K2) value was obtained in the second-mode RSAW (Sezawa wave). The maximum K2 value for the Sezawa wave was 8.03%, with a phase velocity of 7456 m/s and a power flow angle of 0° under the structural conditions where the K2 value was maximized. These properties offer significant advantages for achieving wide frequency bands, high operating frequencies, and ease of design for SAW resonators. The structural conditions under which good propagation characteristics were obtained in the Sezawa waves were found to coincide with the conditions that maximize the electromechanical coupling coefficient of the quasi-longitudinal wave in the ScAlN film, and a significant increase in the shear vertical component of Sezawa wave particle displacement was observed. Additionally, ScAlN films with a 40% Sc concentration can be fabricated using sputtering and molecular beam epitaxy. Recent advancements have reported the production of high-quality 3C-SiC wafers and large 3C-SiC film/silicon wafers. Therefore, the c-axis-tilted ScAlN film/3C-SiC substrate structure shows great potential as a candidate for next-generation SAW resonators.

High-k2eff AlSc0.095N-based two-dimensional coupled mode resonators with transducer design toward 5G application

This paper presents the two-dimensional coupled mode resonators (TCMRs) based on 9.5 % scandium-doped aluminum nitride (AlScN) films. We report the design, fabrication, and characterization of 770 nm-thick AlSc0.095N TCMRs, which utilize the e31 and e33 piezoelectric coefficients to jointly excite the coupled mode with high electromechanical coupling coefficient (k2eff). The TCMRs with different electrical boundary conditions (TCMR-I and TCMR-II) are proposed, and the dependence of the resonant mode on the electrode period was studied. The effect of electrode duty factor (DF) on the resonator performance was explored, and both TCMR-Ⅰ and TCMR-II with DF = 0.5 exhibit the maximum k2eff value. Through measured characterization and simulation analysis, the effect of interdigitated transducer (IDT) thickness on resonator performance was studied. In addition, the equivalent electrical parameters of the prepared resonator were extracted using the MBVD equivalent circuit model. The Qs values of TCMR-Ⅰ and TCMR-II fabricated in this paper can reach 1134 and 165, and the k2eff values can reach 3.5 % and 7.86 %, respectively.

0.36BiScO3-0.64PbTiO3/Epoxy 1-3-2 High-Temperature Composite Ultrasonic Transducer for Non-destructive Testing Applications.

The development of high-temperature nondestructive testing (NDT) requires ultrasonic transducers with good temperature resistance and high sensitivity for improved detection efficiency. Piezoelectric composite can improve the performance of transducers because of its high electromechanical coupling coefficient and adjustable acoustic impedance. In this study, 1-3-2 composites and 1-3-2 high-temperature composite ultrasonic transducers (HTCUTs) based on 0.36BiScO3-0.64PbTiO3 (BSPT), which are preferred piezoelectric materials at 200°C-300°C, and high-temperature epoxy with a center frequency of 6 MHz were designed and fabricated. From 25°C to 250°C, 1-3-2 composites show a higher electromechanical coupling coefficient kt especially at high temperatures (~0.53 at 25°C, and ~0.64 at 250°C) than monolithic BSPT (~0.5). The signal of the pulse-echo response of 1-3-2 HTCUTs is distinguishable up to 250 °C and remains stable (Vpp~500 mV) below 150°C, exhibiting higher sensitivity (improved by 7 dB) than that of monolithic BSPT high-temperature ultrasonic transducers (HTUTs). Bandwidth has been greatly enhanced especially at high temperatures (~103250°C) compared with that of monolithic BSPT HTUTs(~30250°C). To verify the excellent performance, B-mode scanning imaging measurement of a stepped steel block and defect location detection of a steel block were performed, showing the potential for high-temperature NDT applications.

Miniaturized Multi-Cantilever MEMS Resonators with Low Motional Impedance.

Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) cantilever resonators suffer from high motional impedance (Rm). This paper investigates the use of mechanically coupled multi-cantilever piezoelectric MEMS resonators in the resolution of this issue. A double-sided actuating design, which utilizes a resonator with a 2.5 μm thick AlN film as the passive layer, is employed to reduce Rm. The results of experimental and finite element analysis (FEA) show agreement regarding single- to sextuple-cantilever resonators. Compared with a standalone cantilever resonator, the multi-cantilever resonator significantly reduces Rm; meanwhile, the high quality factor (Q) and effective electromechanical coupling coefficient (Kteff2) are maintained. The 30 μm wide quadruple-cantilever resonator achieves a resonance frequency (fs) of 55.8 kHz, a Q value of 10,300, and a series impedance (Rs) as low as 28.6 kΩ at a pressure of 0.02 Pa; meanwhile, the smaller size of this resonator compared to the existing multi-cantilever resonators is preserved. This represents a significant advancement in MEMS resonators for miniaturized ultra-low-power oscillator applications.

Coupled Shear SAW Resonator With High Electromechanical Coupling Coefficient of 34% Using X-Cut LiNbO₃-on-SiC Substrate

Coupled Shear SAW Resonator With High Electromechanical Coupling Coefficient of 34% Using X-Cut LiNbO₃-on-SiC Substrate

Effects of heterovalent ions doping-induced oxygen octahedral distortion and defect chemical change on piezoelectric characteristics and thermal stability of PHT-PIN ceramics

Electromechanical devices require functional materials possessing excellent piezoelectric properties, good thermal stability, and high electromechanical coupling coefficients. To modulate the piezoelectric, dielectric, and electromechanical characteristics of 0.89Pb(Hf0.47Ti0.53)O3-0.11Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3 (PHT-PIN) piezoelectric ceramics, heterovalent ions of lithium (Li) and tungsten (W) were doped through a traditional solid-phase reaction approach. On the one hand, large lattice distortions caused by the doped W6+ resulted in the shortening of BO bonds while an increase in the local displacement of B-site ions. Moreover, a mismatch occurred for the oxygen octahedral dimensions, and a subsequent disruption of the long-ranged ordered ferroelectric domains was observed, which resulted in the formation of microdomains. On the other hand, the changes in the concentration of oxygen vacancy defects induced by the Li and W doping inside the ceramic were comprehensively analyzed. The decrease in the concentration of oxygen vacancies was found to be accompanied by the enhancement of piezoelectric properties of the material. Excellent comprehensive performance (piezoelectric coefficient d33 = 655 pC N−1, Curie temperature Tc = 321.1 °C, dielectric constantεr = 3352.31, electromechanical coupling coefficient kp = 0.67, and residual polarization strength Pr = 55 μC cm−2) was obtained for 0.2 mol % doping amount of Li+ and W6+ ions. This work, therefore, proposes a novel strategy for the origin of piezoelectric properties and inspires doping of other heterovalent ions to improve the piezoelectric properties of ceramics. It further promotes the development of Pb-based piezoelectric ceramics for electromechanical devices that can efficiently operate under high-temperature environments.

Miniature Ultrasound Transducer Incorporating Sm-PMN-PT 1-3 Composite

Piezoelectric 1-3 composite materials have become extensively utilized in diagnostic ultrasound transducers owing to their high electromechanical coupling coefficient, low acoustic impedance, and low dielectric loss. In this study, Sm-doped PMN-PT ceramic/epoxy 1-3 composite with a ceramic volume fraction of 60% is fabricated by the dice-and-fill method, resulting in a high piezoelectric constant (650 pC/N) and clamped dielectric constant (2350). Utilizing the exceptionally high clamped dielectric constant, a low-frequency (12.4 MHz) ultrasound transducer is developed with a miniature aperture size (0.84 mm × 0.84 mm), exhibiting a −6 dB bandwidth of 70% and an insertion loss of −20.5 dB. The imaging capability of the miniature composite transducer is validated through both phantom and ex vivo imaging. The satisfactory results indicate that Sm-doped ceramic/epoxy composites possess significant potential for miniature devices in biomedical imaging applications.

Lithium Niobate MEMS Antisymmetric Lamb Wave Resonators with Support Structures.

The piezoelectric thin film composed of single-crystal lithium niobate (LiNbO3) exhibits a remarkably high electromechanical coupling coefficient and minimal intrinsic losses, making it an optimal material for fabricating bulk acoustic wave resonators. However, contemporary first-order antisymmetric (A1) Lamb mode resonators based on LiNbO3 thin films face specific challenges, such as inadequate mechanical stability, limited power capacity, and the presence of multiple spurious modes, which restrict their applicability in a broader context. In this paper, we present an innovative design for A1 Lamb mode resonators that incorporates a support-pillar structure. Integration of support pillars enables the dissipation of spurious wave energy to the substrate, effectively mitigating unwanted spurious modes. Additionally, this novel approach involves anchoring the piezoelectric thin film to a supportive framework, consequently enhancing mechanical stability while simultaneously improving the heat dissipation capabilities of the core.

Design, preparation and electromechanical characteristics analysis of piezoelectric 1-3-type composites with sandwich polymer structures

Aiming at the shortcomings of the traditional 200 kHz 1–3 piezoelectric composites with a thickness of 7.5 mm, which have a lower electromechanical coupling coefficient, lower resolution and larger acoustic impedance, a piezoelectric 1–3-type composites with sandwich polymer structures with higher electromechanical coupling coefficient and lower acoustic impedance was designed in this paper. First, the piezoelectric composites with different volume fractions of piezoelectric ceramics and silicone rubber were simulated by COMSOL software, and the optimal volume fractions of piezoelectric ceramics and silicone rubber were obtained. Second, the first and second lateral mode frequencies of the piezoelectric 1–3-type composites with sandwich polymer structures with different kerf widths were calculated. Then, based on the electromechanical equivalent circuit, the electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric 1–3-type composites with sandwich polymer structures were analyzed, and the equivalent performance parameters of the piezoelectric composite were obtained. Compared with other 7.5 mm thickness 1–3 piezoelectric composites, it was found that the electromechanical coupling coefficient of the piezoelectric 1–3-type composites with sandwich polymer structures is significantly increased, and the acoustic impedance is significantly decreased. Therefore, the piezoelectric 1–3-type composites with sandwich polymer structures has great potential advantages in the preparation of high-performance piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers.

Design and Fabrication of Annular-Array Ultrasound Transducer Based (K, Na) NbO3 Lead-Free 1-3 Piezoelectric Composite.

This article reports the design, fabrication, and performance of an annular-array ultrasound transducer using (K, Na)NbO3 (KNN)-based lead-free 1-3 piezoelectric composite. The 1-3 piezoelectric composite based on lead-free 0.965(K0.45Na0.55)(Nb0.96Sb0.04)O3-0.035 Bi0.5Na0.5Zr0.85Hf0.15O3 (KNNS-BNZH) was first prepared with the dice-and-fill method. Different from previous reported studies, by patterning annular electrodes on this kind of 1-3 composite, a five-element annular-array transducer in diameter of 6 mm was designed and successfully fabricated and its working center frequency was increased from 5 MHz to around 15 MHz. Meanwhile, a -6 dB bandwidth of 50% was achieved for each annular-array element via a pulse-echo response measurement. Moreover, the obtained annular-array transducer exhibits low crosstalk (<-40 dB) and a high electromechanical coupling coefficient of around 0.7. The application of ultrasonic imaging was further demonstrated to show its excellent performance. Both theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the obtained annular-array transducer presented in this work has a competitive capability for ultrasonic application.

Characteristics of NaNbO3 templates and improvement of electrical properties of textured KNLNS-BNKT ceramics

In this study, plate-like perovskite NaNbO3 (NN) templates were formed from Bi2.5Na3.5Nb5O18 (BiNN5) precursors via a molten salt method. The structure and microstructure of BiNN5 precursors and NN templates were studied. As a result, the platelike BiNN5 precursor particles have a bismuth layer perovskite structure, which is the basis for forming the synthesized plate-like NN particles that have a high aspect ratio with a width of 2-7 μm, a length of 5-12 μm and a thickness of 0.5-1 μm. From NN templates, we fabricated textured lead-free 0.98(K0.48Na0.48Li0.04)(Nb0.95Sb0.05)O3 − 0.02Bi0.5(Na0.4K0.1)TiO3 (KNLNS- BNKT) ceramic by the grain orientation technique. Experimental results show that the KNLNS-BNKT ceramics have a single-phase orthorhombic structure in which textured KNLNS-BNKT ceramics with 67% grain orientation. The electrical properties of the oriented ceramic are significantly improved compared to the non-oriented ceramic fabricated by the traditional method. Specifically, the electrical properties of the resulting KNLNS-BNKT oriented ceramics have a high dielectric constant (ε = 1323, an increase of 17%); large remnant polarization (Pr = 13.5 mC/cm2, an increase of 11.9%); high piezoelectric coefficient (d33 = 205 pC/N, an increase of 32%) and high electromechanical coupling coefficient (kp = 0.4, an increase of 11%).

Influence of growth temperature on the properties of aluminum nitride thin films prepared by magnetron sputter epitaxy

High quality, uni-polar, epitaxial AlN with minimum oxygen content promises excellent surface acoustic wave and bulk acoustic wave resonator characteristics such as high electromechanical coupling coefficient and power handling capabilities, which is particularly useful for RF filter applications. By systematically varying the growth temperature, the study investigates its impact on the oxygen levels, defect states, and crystallographic texture of the AlN thin films using a combination of atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, spectroscopic ellipsometry, scanning transmission electron microscopy, as well as room temperature and temperature dependent I–V measurements. The research demonstrates that the films grown at a temperature of 700°C exhibit the most favorable results. These films exhibit the lowest oxygen levels, possess epitaxial growth, and display the highest crystalline quality (XRD AlN 0002 ω−FWHM=1.3°). Additionally, these films demonstrate a significant reduction in sub-bandgap absorption. By comparing the cathode current measured during deposition, we suggest that the presence of an impurity layer formed during idle time between depositions as a possible source of oxygen in the sputter chamber. In addition, the study presents a possible model to explain the mixed polarity observed in AlN and proposes various ways to achieve uni-polar AlN on silicon substrates.

High Electromechanical Coupling Coefficient of Longitudinally Excited Shear Wave Resonator Based on Optimized Bragg Structure.

In this work, a longitudinally excited shear-wave resonator (YBAR) based on single-crystalline lithium tantalate (LiTaO3, LT) thin film is proposed. The YBAR has a 200 nm X-cut thin film and molybdenum electrode. A high effective electromechanical coupling coefficient (k2eff) of up to 19% for the suspension-type structure was obtained. Furthermore, a Bragg reflector (SiO2/Pt) with optimized layer thickness ratio was employed to improve the performance of the YBAR. Compared to the acoustic wave resonators with the conventional quarter-wave (λ/4) Bragg reflector, the proposed YBAR with an optimized Bragg reflector can reflect both the longitudinal and shear waves efficiently, and resonators with spurious-free response and high quality (Q) value were achieved. This work provides a potential solution to enabling high coupling micro-acoustic resonators with high Q factor in the 5G/6G communication system.

Research on Stacked Piezoelectric Cymbal Vibrator.

As demand for haptic feedback increases, piezoelectric materials have become one of the best candidate materials due to their small size, high electromechanical coupling coefficient, and fast response. A stacked piezoelectric cymbal vibrator is proposed based on the common cymbal-type transducer, which is composed of a piezoelectric stack to drive and a cymbal disk to amplify displacement. A coupling theoretical model between the piezoelectric stack and the cymbal-type structure is established. The longitudinal and radial displacements of the stacked piezoelectric cymbal vibrator are calculated in the low frequency range (<1000 Hz) by the theoretical model and the finite element method. The theoretical and numerical results are in good agreement. The results show that the radial displacement can be converted into longitudinal displacement and then effectively amplified by the cymbal disk with an amplification ratio of 30. The feature is conducive to its widespread application in the field of consumer electronics.

Active acoustic field modulation of ultrasonic transducers with flexible composites

The simple acoustic field generated by conventional transducers limits the development of ultrasound applications. Current methods rely on passive acoustic lenses or active arrays to manipulate ultrasonic waves, but they face challenges such as low transmission efficiency with bulky morphology for lenses, and complex systems with high-cost for arrays. Here, we propose a method exploiting flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers (FPUT) with 1-3 PZT8/PDMS composites to achieve a high-frequency and diversified ultrasonic field. The FPUT at a center frequency of 1.5 MHz exhibits a high electromechanical coupling coefficient (kt ~ 0.74), excellent transmission efficiency, and mechanical conformability. We showcase two dynamic functionalities of our setup, namely variable acoustic focus and multi-order vortex generated by circular and spiral shape transducers. Finally, we show that the FPUT achieves high-resolution underwater ultrasonic imaging at a wide spatial range (>12λ) via ultrasonic collimation, offering a viable technological alternative for active acoustic fields manipulation and ultrasonic applications.

Film bulk acoustic resonators with 400 MHz ultrawide-range tunability using crystalline PZT thin film

Tunable and switchable film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs) have great application potential owing to their much-increased flexibility in radiofrequency (RF) circuits. Here, we report on the design and fabrication of a tunable and switchable FBAR based on a thin crystalline lead zirconate titanate (PZT, Pb[Zr0.6Ti0.4]O3) film. The FBAR device has a resonant frequency of 2.42 GHz with a high effective electromechanical coupling coefficient keff2 of 30%. The frequency tunable range of the device is up to 400 MHz (2.11–2.51 GHz, 16.6%) with a DC bias voltage of less than 12 V, and the device can also be switched off when the polarization intensity in the PZT film is zero. Through the investigation, a relationship between the ferroelectric nature of PZT material and the wide tuning range of FBAR is established, providing a theoretical and experimental guideline for further development.

Phononic crystals for Love waves based on thin-film lithium niobate

This paper presents a type of surface acoustic wave (SAW) phononic crystals based on thin-film lithium niobate (LN). They are created by forming micro-pillar or micro-well structures on the LN, resulting in significant Rayleigh and Love SAW bandgaps. Especially for Love waves, they offer an irreplaceable advantage because they overcome the inability of conventional electrodes to reflect Love waves effectively. This enables the creation of high-quality, compact, high electromechanical coupling coefficient, stable and power-resistant acoustic resonators based on Love waves, potentially leading to a new generation of high-performance SAW filters and sensors. In this paper, we demonstrate the feasibility of such phononic crystals using xy-cut LN-on-SiC. However, it is worth noting that other piezoelectric materials such as lithium tantalate can also be used instead of LN, and high acoustic velocity substrates such as sapphire and diamond can be substituted for SiC.

Lateral Extensional Mode Piezoelectric ZnO-on-Nickel RF MEMS Resonators for Back-End-of-Line Integration.

High motional resistance and incompatibility with post-CMOS fabrication due to thermal budget constraints are imperative issues associated with the back-end-of-line integration of lateral extensional vibrating micromechanical resonators. This paper presents piezoelectric ZnO-on-nickel resonators as a viable means for mitigating both of the issues. Lateral extensional mode resonators equipped with thin-film piezoelectric transducers can exhibit much lower motional impedances than their capacitive counterparts due to piezo-transducers' higher electromechanical coupling coefficients. Meanwhile, the employment of electroplated nickel as the structural material allows the process temperature to be kept lower than 300 °C, which is low enough for the post-CMOS resonator fabrication. In this work, various geometrical rectangular and square plates resonators are investigated. Moreover, parallel combination of several resonators into a mechanically coupled array was explored as a systematic approach to lower motional resistance from ~1 kΩs to 0.562 kΩs. Higher order modes were investigated for achieving higher resonance frequencies up to 1.57 GHz. Local annealing by Joule heating was also exploited for quality factor improvement after device fabrication by ~2× enhancement and breaking the record of MEMS electroplated nickel resonators in lowering insertion loss to ~10 dB.

Research on a high-frequency unfilled layered symmetrical piezoelectric material with a high effective electromechanical coupling coefficient

As the demand for high-performance hydrophones for marine communication systems grows, this paper develops a high-frequency unfilled layered symmetrical piezoelectric material with high effective electromechanical coupling coefficient. The vibration mode of piezoelectric material is converted into vibration mode of the piezoelectric pillar to improve the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient of the material. The material is determined by the equivalent circuit method and ANSYS finite element simulation method. Test results show that the resonant frequency is 117.8 kHz and the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient is 0.67, which shows that the developed material has a good electromechanical conversion performance.

Электроакустические свойства различных типов кварца в мелкодисперсном состоянии

An electroacoustic echo method for studying the high-frequency (HF) electrical and elastic properties of piezoelectric materials in a finely dispersed state is described. The characteristics and relaxation time of electroacoustic echo for natural and artificial quartz powders are determined. Natural one is represented by the following types: smoky quartz, citrine, amethyst, recrystallized, granular and columnar. It is shown that natural quartz (especially citrine), has a higher electromechanical coupling coefficient than artificial quartz. The amplitudes of HF electric field are determined, at which the saturation mode of the echo signals is observed.