Key Engineering Materials Vol. 301

Abstract: Piezoelectric actuators were prepared by the screen printing of piezoelectric thick films and the wet etching of Si substrates for the application of ink jet printer heads. The Pt bottom electrode was used as the vibration plate to obtain a large displacement. The layer structure and integration processes of the Pt bottom electrodes were investigated to be suited to the whole preparation process of the piezoelectric actuator. The displacement of the center of the actuator with 100 μｍ x mm was 0.03 μm at the applied voltage of 30 V and frequency of 4 kHz.

Abstract: Lead-free Ba(Ti1-xZrx)O3 (BTZ) thin films were fabricated on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO2/Si(100) substrates by the chemical solution deposition (CSD) process. The microstructure of the BTZ (x = 0.00 to 0.20) thin films was improved by additional sintering process, and their crystallite sizes were increased in each composition. The dielectric constant er and piezoelectric constant d33 of the BTZ thin films depended on the crystallite size. We give a guide for further investigation to improve the characteristics of BTZ thin films.

Abstract: Nd-substituted Bi4Ti3O12 (BNT) polycrystalline thin films with preferred a-/b-axes orientations were grown on sputter-grown IrO2(101) layers by chemical solution deposition method. After optimizing the heat treatment conditions, insulating characters and ferroelectric properties in 250-nm-thick BNT thin films with a-/b-axes orientations were investigated at room temperature. Low leakage current density of J=10-7~10-8 A/cm2 at 100 kV/cm and fair value of remnant polarization (2Pr=31 μC/cm2 at 400 kV/cm) were measured even though the Bi2O2 blocking layer aligned parallel to the film normal.

Abstract: Pr-substituted Bi4Ti3O12 (BPT, Bi4-xPrxTi3O12, x=0.1-0.4) polycrystalline thick films with a-/b-axes orientations and thickness of 2-3 μm were grown on sputter-grown IrO2 layers by chemical solution deposition method for developing lead-free piezoelectric film microdevices. Electric-field-induced strains measurements were performed by double-beam laser displacement meter and longitudinal strain of e=0.25 % under 400 kV/cm and piezoelectric coefficient d33=63 pm/V at 10 Hz were observed in BPT thick film of x=0.1 with a-/b-axes mixed orientations. The value of strain closely related to spontaneous polarization and monotonously decreased with increasing x. Microstructures of 3 μm-thick BPT films were fabricated by photolithography and dry etching processes with several tens micrometers in size.

Abstract: The (Y,Yb)MnO3 films were crystallized on Y2O3 layers using alkoxy-derived precursor solutions. As a result of investigation of the effect of the Y2O3 layer on the dielectric properties of the (Y,Yb)MnO3/Y2O3/Si, the crystallographic properties such as the orientation and surface morphology of the (Y,Yb)MnO3 thin films depended on the crystallographic appearance of the insulator layer. Following that, the dielectric properties of the MFIS structures varied. For the construction of excellent MFIS structure, the improvement of the orientation, crystallinity, and surface smoothness of the (Y,Yb)MnO3 film by the optimization of the microstructure and dielectric property of the insulator is necessary.

Abstract: Er-doped ZnO thin films which emitted intense infrared light in the vicinity of 1.5 μm were investigated from points of view of the microstructure and electrical properties. The result of X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed that the crystal lattice of ZnO was apparently expanded by doping of Er ions. Electrical resistance in the direction of thickness of Er-doped ZnO film showed linear behavior, which was resemble to that of undoped ZnO film. Infrared light emission phenomenon of the film was related to the chemical / physical state of Er ions in ZnO matrix.

Abstract: The defect structure of undoped and Al-doped ZnO films deposited by pulse laser deposition was investigated to understand the charge compensation mechanism in those films. Particularly, the effect of oxidation assist, i.e., O2 gas or oxygen radicals, on the defect structure of the resultant films was examined. The examination indicated that the defect structure of undoped ZnO was not affected by the oxidation assist, whereas the properties of Al-doped ZnO obviously varied with the method of oxidation assist. An analyses of oxygen diffusion in these films revealed that Al-doping enhanced formation of oxygen defects in Al-doped ZnO.

Abstract: Gallium nitride (GaN) and indium nitride (InN) films were grown on a zinc oxide (ZnO) single crystalline substrate with a (0001) orientation using molecular beam epitaxy. The interfacial structure and relaxation mechanism of the lattice mismatch at the nitride/oxide interface were investigated, particularly the effects of an (In,Ga)N alloy buffer layer on the interfacial structure of the GaN films. This layer significantly improved the crystallinity of the GaN films by gradually relaxing the lattice mismatch between the GaN and ZnO. In spite of the large lattice mismatch between InN and ZnO, InN films with high crystallinity were grown without an (In,Ga)N buffer layer. Structural analysis revealed that an InN layer with low crystallinity formed spontaneously during the initial growth stage, and this amorphous-like layer likely contributed to relaxation of the interfacial stress caused by the lattice mismatch.

Abstract: The precursor solutions containing TiO2 sol for nanoporous films were prepared by hydrolyzing titanium(IV) isopropoxide and adding trehalose dihydrate. The porous and thick TiO2 film was prepared by dip-coating technique on glass substrate and heating at 500 °C. The film was composed of nano sized particles (10-20 nm) and pores (7 nm). The specific surface area of the film was 163 m2/g. The film had humidity-sensitive electrical resistance at room temperature.