High-frequency programmable acoustic wave device realized through ferroelectric domain engineering

Abstract

Surface acoustic wave devices are extensively used in contemporary wireless communication devices. We used atomic force microscopy to form periodic macroscopic ferroelectric domains in sol-gel deposited lead zirconate titanate, where each ferroelectric domain is composed of many crystallites, each of which contains many microscopic ferroelastic domains. We examined the electro-acoustic characteristics of the apparatus and found a resonator behavior similar to that of an equivalent surface or bulk acoustic wave device. We show that the operational frequency of the device can be tailored by altering the periodicity of the engineered domains and demonstrate high-frequency filter behavior (>8 GHz), allowing low-cost programmable high-frequency resonators.

Measurement of surface acoustic wave resonances in ferroelectric domains by microwave microscopy

“…Going forwards, we hope this technique can be applied to probe various SAW devices, such as the SAW resonators which are currently of interest for their coupling to superconducting qubits [21]. It is also possible that this technique could be used to rapidly pattern and probe reprogrammable SAW devices which make use of ferroelectric domain walls [9].…”

“…Periodic ferroelectric domains have been used for both SAW generation [7] and filtering [8], with the wavelength set by the periodicity. More recently, reprogrammable, variable frequency SAW filters have been demonstrated by rewriting these periodic ferroelectric domain structures [9].…”

Dynamics of Nanodroplets on Vibrating Surfaces

“…Current experiments on droplet atomization using SAW typically employ frequencies in the MHz–GHz range and amplitudes of nanometres . However, in principle, bulk/surface vibrations in the GHz–THz range are realizable, − which is a hitherto unexplored parameter-space that is the subject of this present paper. Existing numerical studies of the effects of vibration on sessile droplets − have two drawbacks that make them unsuitable for the problem considered here; first, they are limited to low frequencies, as the time-scale separation (between the rapid acoustics and the slower hydrodynamics) inherent to high-frequency acoustofluidics is challenging to simulate.…”

Formation and manipulation of domain walls with 2 nm domain periodicity in BaTiO3 without contact electrodes

“…Ferroelectrics are functional materials with high dielectric constant that are found in everyday technologies, ranging from ultrasound imaging to cellular communication, and energy-efficient memory devices. 1,2 The basic functional element in ferroelectrics is polarization domains, i.e., region in which all the crystallographic unit cells are distorted collectively, giving rise to correlated dipole moments. The continuous interest in device miniaturization has lately shifted the focus from domains to the domain walls.…”