IP Library Granted Patent US 7,758,979
Granted Patent B2
US 7,758,979 · App. 12/155,015 · Granted Jul 20, 2010

Piezoelectric thin film, piezoelectric material, and fabrication method of piezoelectric thin film and piezoelectric material, and piezoelectric resonator, actuator element, and physical sensor using piezoelectric thin film

Assignees: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology; DENSO CORPORATION
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,758,979
App. No.
12/155,015
Granted
Jul 20, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A piezoelectric thin film of the present invention includes an aluminum nitride thin film that contains scandium. A content ratio of scandium in the aluminum nitride thin film is 0.5 atom % to 50 atom % on the assumption that a total amount of the number of scandium atoms and the number of aluminum atoms is 100 atom %. According to this arrangement, the piezoelectric thin film of the present invention can improve a piezoelectric response while keeping characteristics of elastic wave propagation speed, Q value, and frequency-temperature coefficient that the aluminum nitride thin film has.

Claims (16)

1. A piezoelectric thin film comprising an aluminum nitride thin film provided on a substrate and containing scandium,

a content ratio of the scandium being in a range of 15 atom % to 45 atom % on an assumption that a total amount of a number of atoms of the scandium and a number of atoms of aluminum in the aluminum nitride thin film is 100 atom %,

the aluminum nitride thin film and the substrate sandwiching at least one layer of an intermediate layer, and

the intermediate layer being another aluminum nitride thin film containing scandium at a content ratio different from that of the aluminum nitride thin film.

2. An actuator element comprising a piezoelectric thin film as set forth in claim 1 .

3. A physical sensor comprising a piezoelectric thin film as set forth in claim 1 .

4. A piezoelectric thin film resonator comprising a piezoelectric thin film as set forth in claim 1 .

5. A filter comprising a piezoelectric thin film resonator as set forth in claim 4 .

6. A piezoelectric thin film comprising an aluminum nitride thin containing scandium,

a content ratio of the scandium being in a range of 10 atom % to 35 atom % or 40 atom % to 50 atom % on an assumption that a total amount of a number of atoms of the scandium and a number of atoms of aluminum in the aluminum nitride thin film is 100 atom %.

7. A piezoelectric material comprising an aluminum nitride thin film provided on a substrate and containing scandium,

a content ratio of the scandium being in a range of 15 atom % to 45 atom % on an assumption that a total amount of a number of atoms of the scandium and a number of atoms of aluminum in the aluminum nitride is 100 atom %,

the aluminum nitride thin film and the substrate sandwiching at least one layer of an intermediate layer, and

the intermediate layer being another aluminum nitride thin film containing scandium at a content ratio different from that of the aluminum nitride thin film.

8. The A piezoelectric material comprising an aluminum nitride that contains scandium,

a content ratio of the scandium being in a range of 10 atom % to 35 atom % or 40 atom % to 50 atom % on the assumption that the total amount of the number of atoms of the scandium and the number of atoms of the aluminum in the aluminum nitride is 100 atom %.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2025
From: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
To: DENSO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 071465/0848 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2008
From: AKIYAMA, MORITO; KAMOHARA, TOSHIHIRO; UENO, NAOHIRO; KANO, KAZUHIKO; TESHIGAHARA, AKIHIKO; TAKEUCHI, YUKIHIRO; KAWAHARA, NOBUAKI
To: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; DENSO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021070/0668 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2007-144851 · May 31, 2007 · national
JP 2008-098480 · Apr 4, 2008 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080296529A1 · Dec 4, 2008