Full Paper

Nanoscale Characterization of Energy Generation from Piezoelectric Thin Films

  1. Madhu Bhaskaran1,*,
  2. Sharath Sriram1,
  3. Simon Ruffell2 and
  4. Arnan Mitchell1

Article first published online: 4 APR 2011

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201002663

Issue

Advanced Functional Materials

Advanced Functional Materials

Volume 21, Issue 12, pages 2251–2257, June 21, 2011


Additional Information

How to Cite

Bhaskaran, M., Sriram, S., Ruffell, S. and Mitchell, A. (2011), Nanoscale Characterization of Energy Generation from Piezoelectric Thin Films. Adv. Funct. Mater., 21: 2251–2257. doi: 10.1002/adfm.201002663

Author Information

  1. 1

    Microplatforms Research Group and Platform Technologies, Research Institute, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia

  2. 2

    Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia

*Microplatforms Research Group and Platform Technologies, Research Institute, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 16 JUN 2011
  2. Article first published online: 4 APR 2011
  3. Manuscript Revised: 12 FEB 2011
  4. Manuscript Received: 20 DEC 2010

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Keywords:

  • energy generation;
  • piezoelectric thin films;
  • nanoislands;
  • in situ electromechanical characterization;
  • size effects

Abstract

We report on the use of nanoindentation to characterize in situ the voltage and current generation of piezoelectric thin films. This work presents the controlled observation of nanoscale piezoelectric voltage and current generation, allowing accurate quantification and mapping of force function variations. We characterize both continuous thin films and lithographically patterned nano­islands with constrained interaction area. The influence of size on energy generation parameters is reported, demonstrating that nanoislands can exhibit more effective current generation than continuous films. This quantitative finding suggests that further research into the impact of nanoscale patterning of piezoelectric thin films may yield an improved materials platform for integrated microscale energy scavenging systems.

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