Summary of my historical work on multiphysics FEM simulations of piezoelectric MEMS sensors and resonators using ANSYS. This GitHub repo archives pioneering coupled-field piezoelectric simulations from the era of UNIX workstations (DECstation 3100/Ultrix, HP 9000/730/HP-UX) and early PCs (386/486 & Coprocessor x87) , focusing on silicon-based resonators with thin-film piezo (AlN, ZnO) layers, quartz DETFs, and hybrid PZT bimorphs.
- Silicon Resonators & Actuators: Single beams, cantilevers, diaphragms, triple-beam force sensors with ZnO or AlN thin films for excitation/sensing. Hybrid silicon-PZT bimorphs (proof-of-concept).
- Quartz Structures: HF-etched crystals with Au electrodes, various cuts (e.g., AT-cut), especially Double-Ended Tuning Fork (DETF) resonators.
- PZT Ceramics: Siemens VIBRIT 420 (from 1981 datasheet, Redwitz plant) — a classic lead zirconate titanate (Pb[Zr(x)Ti(1-x)]O₃) material widely used for its strong piezoelectric properties.
- Multiphysics Approach: Coupled structural-electric (piezoelectric) analysis in ANSYS, handling direct and inverse piezoelectric effects, modal/resonant behavior, etc.
This early simulations align with today's Thin-film Piezoelectric-on-Silicon (TPoS) resonators and AlN/ZnO-based MEMS, which are used in high-Q sensors, RF filters, and timing devices. Techniques have advanced with better meshing, PMLs for anchor loss, and handling of TED (thermoelastic damping) and electrode losses. DETF structures remain popular for resonant sensors (force, acceleration, temperature) due to high sensitivity via frequency shift.
Thin-Film Piezoelectric-On-Silicon Resonators: A Comprehensive Review
- https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/admt.202501772
- https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/17/4978
My website provides deeper dives (in German/English) on FE modeling of resonant sensors, quartz force sensors, piezoelectric micro-actuators, and microsystems modeling. Publications and reviews document triple-beam resonant silicon force sensors with piezoelectric thin films and broader MEMS R&D.
- with ANSYS(R) FEM-program (FEA: finite element analysis)
- UNIX workstations: Digital DECstation3100 - Ultrix, Hewlett-Packard HP9000/730 - HP-UX
- and PC-486 (MS-DOS) personal computers
- MEMS-sensors based on silicon resonators with piezoelectric thin-film layers (AlN, ZnO)
- etched quartz crystals (e.g. DETF: Double-Ended Tuning Fork)
- bimorph structures (i.e. silicon & PZT ceramics)
- piezoelectric simulation of MEMS sensors & actuators
- silicon resonators & actuators (single beams, diaphragms, cantilever, etc.)
- with ZnO & AlN piezoelectric thin-film layers for excitation & detection
- hybrid silicon bimorph-structures with PZT ceramics (PoC)
- triple-beam force sensors based on silicon & piezo-electric ZnO thin films
- HF-etched quartz crystals with Au (gold) electrodes
- use of different quartz cuts (e.g. AT, etc.)
- Double-Ended-Tuning-Fork (= DETF)
lead zirconium titanate, commonly abbreviated as PZT:
- PZT (Pb[Zr(x)Ti(1-x)]O3), one of the world’s most widely used piezoelectric ceramic materials
- here: Siemens VIBRIT420 (Data sheet 1981), SIEMENS Piezokeramik PZT
- Datenblatt VIBRIT®, Piezoelectric Ceramics from Siemens, Redwitz
- VIBRIT - Piezoceramics from Siemens, Ord.-No.: N-281/5035-101
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_zirconate_titanate
- https://katalog.slub-dresden.de/id/0-016158210
- https://tfconsult.com/entwurf-und-auslegung-mikromechanischer-strukturen/
- https://tfconsult.com/fe-modellierung-resonanter-sensoren/
- https://tfconsult.com/berechnung-von-quarz-kraftsensoren/
- https://tfconsult.com/piezoelectric-micro-actuators/
- https://tfconsult.com/piezoelectrical-driven-force-sensor/
- https://tfconsult.com/fe-modeling-of-resonant-sensors/
- https://tfconsult.com/microsystems-modeling/
- https://tfconsult.com/tag/piezo/
- https://tfconsult.com/tag/bmft/
- https://tfconsult.com/tag/multiphysics/
- https://tfconsult.com/tag/fasens/
- https://tfconsult.com/tag/mems/
- https://tfconsult.com/tag/quarz/
- https://tfconsult.com/tag/zno/
- https://tfconsult.com/research-development-of-microsensors/
- https://tfconsult.com/30y-anniversary-mems-semiconductors/
- https://tfconsult.com/resonant-microsensors/
... to be continued