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A correlation of capacitive RF-MEMS reliability to AlN dielectric film spontaneous polarization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2009

Eleni Papandreou ,
George Papaioannou  and
Tomas Lisec
Eleni Papandreou
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Solid State Physics Section, National Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Panepistimiopolis Zografos, Athens 15784, Greece. Phone: +30 2107276817; Fax: +30 2107276711
George Papaioannou*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Solid State Physics Section, National Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Panepistimiopolis Zografos, Athens 15784, Greece. Phone: +30 2107276817; Fax: +30 2107276711
Tomas Lisec
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology, Fraunhoferstrasse 1, D-25524 Itzehoe, Germany. Email: [email protected].
*
Corresponding author: G. Papaioannou Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of spontaneous polarization of magnetron-sputtered aluminum nitride on the electrical properties and reliability of Radio Frequency – Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems capacitive switches. The assessment is performed with the aid of application of thermally stimulated polarization currents in metal-insulator-metal capacitors and temperature dependence of device capacitance. The study reveals the presence of a surface charge, which is smaller than that expected from material spontaneous polarization, but definitely is responsible for the low degradation rate under certain bias polarization life tests.

Keywords

Aluminum nitrideMEMSSpontaneous polarization
Type
Original Article
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , February 2009 , pp. 43 - 47
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2009

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References

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