Surface acoustic wave propagation on lead zirconate titanate thin films

Abstract
Piezoelectric activity in reactively sputtered lead zirconate titanate [Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 or PZT] thin films has been confirmed through the fabrication of surface acoustic wave delay lines on poled polycrystalline films of PZT deposited on glass substrates. Films of varying thickness ranging from 3.4 to 6 μm show a dispersion in resonant frequency for interdigital transducers designed to resonate at 44 MHz on bulk PZT material. The electromechanical coupling coefficient k2 was in the range 0.57–0.79% for hk=0.21–0.37.