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Unprecedented enhancement of piezoelectricity of wurtzite nitride semiconductors via thermal annealing

Author

Listed:
  • Shubham Mondal

    (University of Michigan)

  • Md Mehedi Hasan Tanim

    (University of Michigan)

  • Garrett Baucom

    (University of Florida)

  • Shaurya S. Dabas

    (University of Florida)

  • Jinghan Gao

    (University of Florida)

  • Jiangnan Liu

    (University of Michigan)

  • Zhengwei Ye

    (University of Michigan)

  • Venkateswarlu Gaddam

    (University of Florida)

  • Aiden Ross

    (The Pennsylvania State University)

  • Long-Qing Chen

    (The Pennsylvania State University)

  • Honggyu Kim

    (University of Florida)

  • Roozbeh Tabrizian

    (University of Florida)

  • Zetian Mi

    (University of Michigan)

Abstract

Incorporating rare-earth elements into wurtzite nitride semiconductors, such as scandium-alloyed aluminum nitride (ScAlN), significantly enhances the piezoelectric response, which is vital for a broad range of acoustic, electronic, photonic, and quantum applications. To date, however, the measured piezoelectric response of nitride semiconductors is far below what theory has predicted. Herein, we demonstrate a simple, scalable, post-growth thermal annealing process that can dramatically boost the piezoelectric response of ScAlN. We achieve a 3.5-fold increase in the piezoelectric modulus, d33 for ScAlN, from 12.3 pC/N in the as-grown state to 45.5 pC/N, which is eight times larger than that of AlN commercially used in 5 G cellphones. The observed enhancement is unambiguously confirmed by three separate measurement techniques. Detailed material characterization techniques reveal that optimized annealing conditions significantly improve the macroscopic structural quality, achieving a more homogeneous and ordered domain orientation, and reduces the lattice parameter ratio (c/a) in the wurtzite crystal structure. The dramatic enhancement of d33 in ScAlN thin films promises extreme frequency scaling opportunities for bulk acoustic wave resonators for beyond-5 G applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Shubham Mondal & Md Mehedi Hasan Tanim & Garrett Baucom & Shaurya S. Dabas & Jinghan Gao & Jiangnan Liu & Zhengwei Ye & Venkateswarlu Gaddam & Aiden Ross & Long-Qing Chen & Honggyu Kim & Roozbeh Tabri, 2025. "Unprecedented enhancement of piezoelectricity of wurtzite nitride semiconductors via thermal annealing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-59179-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59179-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hulin Yao & Pengcheng Zheng & Shibin Zhang & Chuanjie Hu & Xiaoli Fang & Liping Zhang & Dan Ling & Huanyang Chen & Xin Ou, 2024. "Twist piezoelectricity: giant electromechanical coupling in magic-angle twisted bilayer LiNbO3," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
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