Effective piezoelectric activity of zinc oxide films grown by RF planar magnetron sputtering

Abstract

We present a study of the effective piezoelectric activity of thin ZnO films produced by RF planar magnetron sputtering. The energetic plasma particles which bombard the substrate in the above deposition system increase the substrate temperature, thus causing a gradual variation in film structure during the beginning of the film growth. As a result, a precursor layer is formed which consists of small randomly oriented crystallites, and exhibits poor piezoelectric activity. Hence, the film thickness responsible for piezoelectric activity is generally less than the physical thickness of the film. This leads to an increase in the resonant frequency of the film. For example, a film designed to have a half-wave resonance at 288 MHz, was found to be resonant at 332 MHz. The poorly structured initial layer meant in this typical case that only 87 % of this film volume exhibited piezoelectric activity. Investigations based on the deposition conditions (substrate temperature, and deposition rate), the optical losses, SEM imaging and RF electrical behaviour are presented in this letter.

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