Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-16T18:15:50.242Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A correlation of capacitive RF-MEMS reliability to AlN dielectric film spontaneous polarization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2009

Eleni Papandreou ,
George Papaioannou  and
Tomas Lisec
Eleni Papandreou
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Solid State Physics Section, National Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Panepistimiopolis Zografos, Athens 15784, Greece. Phone: +30 2107276817; Fax: +30 2107276711
George Papaioannou*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Solid State Physics Section, National Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Panepistimiopolis Zografos, Athens 15784, Greece. Phone: +30 2107276817; Fax: +30 2107276711
Tomas Lisec
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology, Fraunhoferstrasse 1, D-25524 Itzehoe, Germany. Email: [email protected].
*
Corresponding author: G. Papaioannou Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of spontaneous polarization of magnetron-sputtered aluminum nitride on the electrical properties and reliability of Radio Frequency – Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems capacitive switches. The assessment is performed with the aid of application of thermally stimulated polarization currents in metal-insulator-metal capacitors and temperature dependence of device capacitance. The study reveals the presence of a surface charge, which is smaller than that expected from material spontaneous polarization, but definitely is responsible for the low degradation rate under certain bias polarization life tests.

Keywords

Aluminum nitrideMEMSSpontaneous polarization
Type
Original Article
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , February 2009 , pp. 43 - 47
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1]Bernardini, F.; Fiorentini, V.; Vanderbilt, D.: Spontaneous polarization and piezoelectric constants of III-V nitrides. Phys. Rev. B, 56 (1997), R10024–7.Google Scholar
[2]Zoroddu, A.; Bernardini, F.; Ruggerone, P.; Fiorentini, V.: First-principles prediction of structure, energetics, formation enthalpy, elastic constants, polarization, and piezoelectric constants of AlN, GaN, and InN: Comparison of local and gradient-corrected density-functional theory. Phys. Rev. B, 64 (2001), 045208-1–045208-6.Google Scholar
[3]Ambacher, O. et al. : Two-dimensional electron gases induced by spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization charges in N- and Ga-face AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. J. Appl. Phys., 85 (1999), 3222–3233.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[4]Ruffner, J.A.; Clem, P.G.; Tuttle, B.A.; Dimos, D.; Gonzales, D.M.: Effect of substrate composition on the piezoelectric response of reactively sputtered AlN thin films. Thin Solid Films, 354 (1999), 256–261.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[5]Stutzmann, M. et al. : Playing with polarity. Physica Status Solidi (b), 228 (2001), 505–512.Google Scholar
[6]Kamohara, T.; Akiyama, M.; Kuwano, N.: Influence of polar distribution on piezoelectric response of aluminum nitride thin films. Appl. Phys. Lett., 92 (2008), 093506-1–093506-3.Google Scholar
[7]Akiyama, M. et al. : Polarity inversion in aluminum nitride thin films under high sputtering Power. Appl. Phys. Lett., 90 (2007), 151910-1–151910-3.Google Scholar
[8]Setter, N. et al. : Ferroelectric thin films: Review of materials, properties, and applications. J. Appl. Phys., 100 (2006), 051606-1–051606-46.Google Scholar
[9]Lisec, T.; Huth, C.; Wagner, B.: Dielectric material impact on capacitive RF MEMS reliability, in Eur. Mictowave Week 12th GAAS Symp.October 04, 471–4.Google Scholar
[10]Papaioannou, G.; Lisec, T.: Dielectric charging process in AlN RF-MEMS capacitive switches, in Eur. Mictowave Week 1st EiMIC Symp.October 07, 540–3.Google Scholar
[11]Rottenberg, X.; Nauwelaers, B.; De Raedt, W.; Tilmans, H.A.C.: Distributed dielectric charging and its impact on RF MEMS devices, in Eur. Mictowave Week 12th GAAS Symp.October 04, 475–8.Google Scholar
[12]Papaioannou, G.J.; Wang, G.; Bessas, D.; Papapolymerou, J.: Contactless dielectric charging mechanisms in RF-MEMS capacitive switches, in 1st Eur. Microwave Integrated Circuits Conf. EuMWOctober 06, 513–516.Google Scholar
[13]Papaioannou, G.J.; Papapolymerou, J.: Dielectric charging mechanisms in RF-MEMS capacitive switches, in Proc. of the 37th Eur. Microwave Conf.October 07, 1157–1160.Google Scholar
[14]Rottenberg, X.; De Wolf, I.; Nauwelaers, B.K.J.C.; De Raedt, W.; Tilmans, H.A.C.: Analytical model of the DC actuation of electrostatic MEMS devices with distributed dielectric charging and nonplanar electrodes. J. Microelectromech. Systems, 16 (2007) 1243–1253.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[15]Akiyama, M.; Nagao, K.; Ueno, N.; Tateyama, H.; Yamada, T.: Influence of metal electrodes on crystal orientation of aluminum nitride thin films. Vacuum, 74 (2004), 699–703.Google Scholar
[16]Yan, W.S. et al. : Phenomenological model for the spontaneous polarization in GaN. Appl. Phys. Lett., 90 (2007), 182113 1–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[17]Yan, W.S. et al. : Temperature dependence of the pyroelectric coefficient and the spontaneous polarization of AlN. Appl. Phys. Lett., 90 (2007), 212102-1–212102-3.Google Scholar
[18]Vandershueren, J.; Casiot, J.: in Braunlich, P. (Ed.) Topics in Applied Physics: “Thermally Stimulated Relaxation in Solids”, 37, chapter 4, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1979, 135–223.Google Scholar
[19]van Turnhout, J.: in: Sessler, G.M. (Ed.) Topics in Applied Physics: “Electrets”, vol. 33, chapter 3, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1987, 81–216.Google Scholar
[20]Malmonge, L.F.; Malmonge, J.A.; Sakamoto, W.K.: Study of pyroelectric activity of PZT/PVDF-HFP composite. Mater. Res., 6 (2003), 469–473.Google Scholar
[21]Fedosov, S.; von Seggem, H.: Pyroelectricity and TSD currents in room temperature poled PVDF, in 12th Int. Symp. Electrets ISE-12September 05, 145–148.Google Scholar
[22]http://www.ioffe.rssi.ru/SVA/NSM/Semicond/AlN/.Google Scholar
[23]Vergara, L.; Olivares, J.; Iborra, E.; Clement, M.; Sanz-Hervás, A.; Sangrador, J.: Effect of rapid thermal annealing on the crystal quality and the piezoelectric response of polycrystalline AlN films. Thin Solid Films, 515 (2006), 1814–1818.Google Scholar
[24]Westwood, A.D.; Notis, M.R.: Inversion domain boundaries in aluminum nitride. J Am Ceramic Soc., 74 (1991), 1226–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[25]Papaioannou, G.; Wang, G.; Bessas, D.; Papapolymerou, J.: On the polarization mechanisms of RF MEMS capacitive switches, in 1st EuMIC Conf.ManchesterOctober 06, 513–516.Google Scholar