Piezoelectric thin films on Quartz substrate

The aim of this project is to deposit a thin film of aluminum nitride (AlN) or aluminum scandium nitride (AlScN) on a quartz substrate showing good piezoelectric properties for use in tuning fork oscillators. Quartz oscillators are commonly used in various applications such as clocks, watches, and electronic devices due to their high stability and reliability. By depositing AlN or AlScN films on a quartz substrate, we hope to enhance the performance and reliability of quartz oscillators and take advantage of the high coupling of AlN and the low temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) of quartz. The Pfeiffer Spider 600 sputtering machine at the Center for Micronanotechnology (CMi) at EPFL will be used to optimize the deposition parameters for AlN or AlScN films on quartz substrate. After the depositions, the thin films will be characterized using techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD).