Performance Enhancement of PZT Thin-Film Microactuators via a Multi-Scale, Multi-Domain Design

铅锆钛氧化物（PZT）是一种广泛应用于体结构作动器的压电材料。最近，PZT微致动器受到了广泛的关注，因为它们在带宽、能量密度和致动强度方面可能优于传统的微致动器（例如梳状驱动器或热驱动器）。因此，PZT微致动器可以实现各种新的冲击应用，例如微型听力植入物和微创的小型化诊断工具。为了实现这项新技术，PZT微致动器必须使用PZT薄膜来保持适当的长宽比，并且需要进行基础研究以提高致动器的性能。提出了采用纳米技术和力学等多尺度、多领域的方法来提高压电陶瓷薄膜微致动器的性能。有两个具体的目标要实现。第一个目标是利用纳米技术提高PZT薄膜的材料性能和产量。特别是，(a)通过播种纳米PZT颗粒和电泳沉积的PZT薄膜和(b)具有纳米纹理和压痕的铂底电极将得到发展。第二个目标是在PZT薄膜中引入应力消除槽，以最大化驱动器的位移。

Lead-Zirconium-Titanium Oxide (PZT) is a piezoelectric material widely used as actuators for bulk structures. Lately, PZT micro-actuators have received wide attention, because they could potentially outperform traditional micro-actuators (e.g., comb drives or thermal drives) in terms of bandwidth, energy density, and actuation strength. As a result, PZT micro-actuators enable various new impacting applications, such as minute hearing implants and miniaturized diagnostic tools that are less invasive. To enable this new technology, PZT micro-actuators must employ PZT thin films to maintain a proper aspect ratio to function and fundamental studies are needed to enhance actuator performance by orders of magnitude.It is proposed to enhance performance of PZT thin-film micro-actuators via multi-scale and multi-domain approaches that encompass nanotechnology and mechanics. There are two specific goals to achieve. The first goal is to use nanotechnology to enhance material properties and yield of PZT thin films. In particular, (a) PZT thin films via seeded nano-PZT particles and electrophoretic deposition and (b) Platinum bottom electrodes with nano-textures and indentation will be developed. The second goal is to introduce stress relief grooves in PZT thin films to maximize actuator displacement.