Modelling and characterization of the roof tile-shaped modes of AlN-based cantilever resonators in liquid media

Abstract

In this work, roof tile-shaped modes of MEMS (micro electro-mechanical systems) cantilever resonators with various geometries and mode orders are analysed. These modes can be efficiently excited by a thin piezoelectric film and a properly designed top electrode. The electrical and optical characterization of the resonators are performed in liquid media and the device performance is evaluated in terms of quality factor, resonant frequency and motional conductance. A quality factor as high as 165 was measured in isopropanol for a cantilever oscillating in the seventh order roof tile-shaped mode at 2 MHz. To support the results of the experimental characterization, a 2D finite element method simulation model is presented and studied. An analytical model for the estimation of the motional conductance was also developed and validated with the experimental measurements.