Impact of electrode conductivity on mass sensitivity of piezoelectric resonators at high temperatures

Abstract

Abstract. High-temperature stable piezoelectric Ca3TaGa3Si2O14 and La3Ga5SiO14 resonators with keyhole-shaped Pt electrodes are coated with metal oxide films such as TiO2−δ and SnO2 that overlap the Pt electrodes. The resonators are exposed to reducing atmospheres in order to increase the electrical conductivity of the oxide film and then act as extended oxide electrodes. The resulting increase in the effective electrode radius causes an increase in the mass sensitivity of the resonators and, thereby, resonance frequency shifts. In other words, the effective mass of the Pt electrode becomes higher. An electrical circuit model is presented to describe the increase in the effective electrode radius of the resonator, which is used to calculate the related resonance frequency shift. Additionally, an electromechanical model is presented, which subdivides the resonator into two coupled oscillators. One is representing the resonator volume underneath the Pt electrode and the other underneath the oxide electrode at increased electrical conductivity. The model reflects how the oxide electrodes affect the resonance frequency. Furthermore, the impact of increasing oxide electrode conductivity on the resonance frequency is discussed with respect to the application of oxide electrodes and for gas sensing.