Piezoelectric/ultrananocrystalline diamond heterostructures for high-performance multifunctional micro/nanoelectromechanical systems

Most current micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) are based on silicon. However, silicon exhibits relatively poor mechanical/tribological properties, compromising applications to some devices. Diamond films with superior mechanical/tribological properties provide an excellent alternative platform material. Ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD (R)) in film form with 2-5 nm grains exhibits excellent properties for high-performance MEMS/NEMS devices. Concurrently, piezoelectric Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O-3 (PZT) films provide high sensitivity/low electrical noise for sensing/high-force actuation at relatively low voltages. Therefore, integration of PZT and UNCD films provides a high-performance platform for advanced MEMS/NEMS devices. This letter describes the bases of such integration and demonstration of low voltage piezoactuated hybrid PZT/UNCD cantilevers. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.