Minimizing Sc0.3Al0.7N Cantilever Deflection through RF Power-Tuned PVD

Piezoelectric MEMS (PiezoMEMS) sensors offer compact, low-power sensing with high sensitivity, but their performance critically depends on stable cantilever mechanics. Intrinsic stress gradients in physical vapor deposited (PVD) scandium-doped aluminum nitride (Sc0.3Al0.7N) films can cause bending or warping, leading to reduced sensitivity and degraded signal quality. In this work, we investigate a stress-management approach by tuning radio-frequency (RF) power during PVD deposition. This method aims to reduce stress-induced cantilever deformation of Sc0.3Al0.7N.