Piezoelectrics in micro and nanosystems: solutions for a wide range of applications

Piezoelectric thin films have interesting prospects in a number of applications for which miniaturization is a driving force. Miniaturization means higher frequency, or higher resolution, or increased functionality. This paper gives a short review on piezoelectric thin films, their deposition processes, integration, properties and applications in microsystems (MEMS), concentrating on the most frequently investigated piezoelectric thin film materials.