Publications by Andrea Mazzalai

Non-destructive piezoelectric characterisation of Sc doped aluminium nitride thin films at wafer level

Paul Muralt, Clemens Benedict Nyffeler, Stefan Mertin, Andrea Mazzalai

Scandium doped aluminium nitride (ScAlN) gained much attention during last years, since its piezoelectric response is much enlarged as compared to pure AlN films. Above 30% Sc the films are of high interest for piezoMEMS sensing and actuation, ultrasound g ...

IEEE2019

A concept of wireless and passive very-high temperature sensor

Paul Muralt, Ramin Matloub Aghdam, Andrea Mazzalai

There is a need for sensors capable operating at temperatures above 1000 degrees C. We describe an innovative sensor that might achieve this goal. The sensor comprises two main elements: a thermocouple and a surface acoustic wave (SAW) strain sensor. The c ...

Amer Inst Physics2017

Engineered a/c domain patterns in multilayer (110) epitaxial Pb(Zr,Ti)O-3 thin films: Impact on domain compliance and piezoelectric properties

Nava Setter, Silviu Cosmin Sandu, Mahamudu Mtebwa, Andrea Mazzalai, Arnaud Robert André Crassous

While there is extensive literature on the influence of both compressive and tensile strain on the domain patterns of (001) tetragonal ferroelectric thin films, little is known regarding domain engineering in (110) films. The primary reason is the absence ...

2016

Converse mode piezoelectric coefficient for lead zirconate titanate thin film with interdigitated electrode

Paul Muralt, Silviu Cosmin Sandu, Nachiappan Chidambaram, Ramin Matloub Aghdam, Andrea Mazzalai, Robin Nigon, Davide Balma

The use of interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) in conjunction with ferroelectric thin films shows many attractive features for piezoelectric MEMS applications. In this work, growth of {1 0 0}-textured lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films was achieved on i ...

Institute of Physics2015

Characterization and Fatigue of the Converse Piezoelectric Effect in PZT Films for MEMS Applications

Paul Muralt, Nachiappan Chidambaram, Ramin Matloub Aghdam, Andrea Mazzalai, Davide Balma

A measurement setup for the detailed study of the transverse piezoelectric coefficient e(31,f) in the converse (actuator) mode was developed. It allows the assessment of the piezoelectric stress in thin films on silicon cantilevers and provides for a corre ...

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers2015

PZT thin films for MEMS devices : from in-situ sputter deposition to energy harvesting device

Andrea Mazzalai

The recent progress in synthesis and integration of highly piezoelectric lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) thin films onto silicon substrates are paving the way for new, more efficient and faster devices in micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). In compariso ...

EPFL2014

High Piezoelectric Longitudinal Coefficients in Sol-gel PZT Thin Film Multilayers

Paul Muralt, Silviu Cosmin Sandu, Alex Dommann, Nachiappan Chidambaram, Andrea Mazzalai, Antonia Neels, Davide Balma

A five-layer stack of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films with Pt electrodes was fabricated for potential applications in nanoactuator systems. The 1 mu m thick PZT films were deposited by a sol-gel technique, the platinum electrodes by sputtering. Th ...

Wiley-Blackwell2014

Comparison of Lead Zirconate Titanate Thin Films for Microelectromechanical Energy Harvester With Interdigitated and Parallel Plate Electrodes

Paul Muralt, Nachiappan Chidambaram, Andrea Mazzalai, Davide Balma

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films on insulator-buffered silicon substrates with interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) have the potential to harvest more energy than parallel plate electrode (PPE) structures because the former exploit the longitudinal pie ...

Ieee-Inst Electrical Electronics Engineers Inc2013

Measurement of effective piezoelectric coefficients of PZT thin films for energy harvesting application with interdigitated electrodes

Paul Muralt, Nachiappan Chidambaram, Andrea Mazzalai

Interdigitated electrode (IDE) systems with lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films play an increasingly important role for two reasons: first, such a configuration generates higher voltages than parallel plate capacitor-type electrode (PPE) structures, a ...

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers2012

Comparison of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films for MEMS energy harvester with interdigitated and parallel plate electrodes

Paul Muralt, Nachiappan Chidambaram, Andrea Mazzalai

PZT thin films on insulator buffered silicon substrates with interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) have the potential to harvest more energy than parallel plate electrode (PPE) structures, because IDE structures exploit the longitudinal piezoelectric effect, wh ...

Ieee2012