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P.M. Mayrhofer, P. Persson, A. Bittner, U. Schmid:
"Properties of ScxAl1‑xN (x = 0.27) thin films on sapphire and silicon substrates upon high temperature loading";
Microsystem Technology - Online, 22 (2016), 1679 - 1689.

Scandium Aluminum Nitride thin films (ScxAl1-
xN) are attracting more and more attention for micro-electromechanical
systems (MEMS) because of significantly
increased piezoelectric constants compared to pure AlN.
This work provides a comprehensive study of thermal
annealing effects on ScxAl1-xN (x = 27 %) films synthesized
via DC magnetron sputter deposition at nominally
unheated Silicon and Sapphire substrates. Compared to the
"as deposited" state increasing c-axis orientation and crystalline
quality upon annealing up to 1000 °C of films with
mixed crystallographic orientation is observed via X-ray
diffraction and transmission electron microscopy based
analyses. Also the piezoelectric coefficient d33 of ScxAl1-xN
on Si shows increasing values at enhanced annealing temperatures.
However, the improved piezoelectric properties
are accompanied by both increased leakage currents and
loss tangent values.

Scandium Aluminum Nitride thin films (ScxAl1-
xN) are attracting more and more attention for micro-electromechanical
systems (MEMS) because of significantly
increased piezoelectric constants compared to pure AlN.
This work provides a comprehensive study of thermal
annealing effects on ScxAl1-xN (x = 27 %) films synthesized
via DC magnetron sputter deposition at nominally
unheated Silicon and Sapphire substrates. Compared to the
"as deposited" state increasing c-axis orientation and crystalline
quality upon annealing up to 1000 °C of films with
mixed crystallographic orientation is observed via X-ray
diffraction and transmission electron microscopy based
analyses. Also the piezoelectric coefficient d33 of ScxAl1-xN
on Si shows increasing values at enhanced annealing temperatures.
However, the improved piezoelectric properties
are accompanied by both increased leakage currents and
loss tangent values.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00542-015-2798-7