Speaker
Description
Piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (piezoMEMS) provide a versatile platform to exploit electromechanical coupling at the microscale, enabled by the intrinsic crystalline anisotropy of piezoelectric materials. The interplay between structure and polarization allows the conversion of electrical stimuli into mechanical deformation (converse effect), as well as mechanical excitations into electrical signals (direct effect), underpinning applications in sensing and energy conversion.
In this context, piezoelectric thin films play a central role, as their structural, morphological, and interfacial properties directly determine the efficiency of electromechanical transduction. Plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) offers a powerful route to engineer such properties, enabling conformal growth of ultrathin ZnO films with precise thickness control and tunable crystallinity at low temperatures. These features are particularly relevant for integration on complex and three-dimensional architectures, as well as for flexible platforms.
Here, we discuss the emerging landscape of ZnO-based piezoelectric systems, focusing on the relationship between thin film growth, nanoscale structure, and functional response. PEALD-grown ZnO films are explored in the context of wearable and electronic skin (e-skin) sensors. In addition, hybrid systems obtained via vapor phase infiltration (VPI) enable the realization of compliant three-dimensional architectures and maskless patterning, opening new opportunities for mechanically adaptive devices. Finally, direct atomic layer processing (DALP) approaches are introduced as a route to locally define piezoelectric functionality within patterned structures.
Overall, this contribution highlights how plasma-assisted approaches enable the control of structure–property relationships in ZnO thin films, bridging the gap between fundamental material properties and functional piezoelectric architectures for sensing and energy conversion.