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c-Axis-Tilted ScAlN Film on Silicon Substrate for Surface Acoustic Wave Device

MetadataDetails
Publication Date2021-09-11
AuthorsTakumi Tominaga, Shinji Takayanagi, Takahiko Yanagitani
InstitutionsWaseda University, Doshisha University
Citations2

ScAlN films exhibit higher piezoelectricity than the AlN films. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that the appearance of ferroelectricity in the ScAlN films. Therefore, ScAlN films are currently being investigated to explore their potential for use in elastic wave devices for next-generation mobile networks. Surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices with a high frequency (gigahertz-range), a high electromechanical coupling coefficient <tex xmlns:mml=“http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML” xmlns:xlink=“http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink”&gt;&#36;\boldsymbol&#123;K&#125;^&#123;\boldsymbol&#123;2&#125;&#125;&#36;&lt;/tex> and a high <tex xmlns:mml=“http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML” xmlns:xlink=“http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink”&gt;&#36;\mathbf&#123;Q&#125;&#36;&lt;/tex> factor are required for filters and duplexers in the smartphones. Recently, ScAlN film/high BAW velocity substrate (e.g. diamond and SiC) structures were reported to have a high <tex xmlns:mml=“http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML” xmlns:xlink=“http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink”&gt;&#36;\boldsymbol&#123;K&#125;^&#123;\boldsymbol&#123;2&#125;&#125;&#36;&lt;/tex> , whereas their substrates are very expensive. Conversely, silicon is known as inexpensive substrates and is suitable for device integration. We have previously shown that <tex xmlns:mml=“http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML” xmlns:xlink=“http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink”&gt;&#36;\boldsymbol&#123;K&#125;^&#123;\boldsymbol&#123;2&#125;&#125;&#36;&lt;/tex> values of crystal class (6mm) including ZnO and AlN increases with their c-axis tilt angle. In this study, we theoretically demonstrated that the electromechanical coupling coefficient <tex xmlns:mml=“http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML” xmlns:xlink=“http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink”&gt;&#36;\boldsymbol&#123;K&#125;^&#123;\boldsymbol&#123;2&#125;&#125;&#36;&lt;/tex> of SAW propagating in ScAlN film/Si substrate layered structure increases with c-axis tilt angle. In addition, a c-axis tilted ScAlN films were prepared on Si substrates by a sputtering method.

  1. 2010 - Giant shear mode electromechanical coupling coefficient $k$15 in c-axis tilted ScAlN films
  2. 2017 - Film growth of c-axis tilted ScAlN on the sapphire substrate for SAW devices