Breakdown mechanisms and passivation of piezoelectric micro-mirrors

Lead Zirconate Titanate (Pb(Zrx,Ti1−x )O3) is, due to its high piezoresponse, widely used in piezoelectric Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (piezoMEMS) such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and actuators. However, since PZT is highly sensitive to humidity, devices tend to suffer severe degradation when operated under realistic or harsh conditions. The humidity-related breakdown mechanisms are many and complex, making the need for passivation critical in order to ensure reliable and long-lived piezoMEMS-devices.