The Piezo Institute can offer access to a number of technologies. These can be broadly categorised as:
Characterisation techniques
Bulk ceramic processing
Thin / thick films
Structures
Modelling
Characterisation techniques
Characterisation techniques available within the network include various methods supported by the following types of instrument:
Electrical measurements
- Impedance analysers
- Hysteresis of polarisation
- Ferroelectric loop characterisation Electrometers for leakage, polarisation and pyroelectric currents
- High voltage resistivity and dielectric breakdown
- FFT analysis
Mechanical
- Nano-indenter
- Scanning laser-Doppler vibrometer
- Piezo d33 meter
- Structural X-Ray Diffraction
- 4 circle diffractomer for single crystals
Functional characterisation
- Impedance Analysers
- Ferroelectric Testing Equipment
- Piezo d33 meter
- Berlincourt type thin film analyser
- Interferometric piezo-strain system
- Reliability Test Equipment
- Pyro/piezo activity measurement based on Laser Intensity Modulation Method (LIMM)
- PFM – Piezoresponse Force Microscopy
- EBSD – Electron back Scattering Diffraction for crystal orientation within the SEM
- Temperature/humidity chamber for climatic testing
Spectroscopy
- Raman spectrometer with triple monochromator
- FTIR (Near IR) and Raman spectrometer
- Raman micro-spectrometer
- UV, visible and IR Spectrometer
Thermal analysis
- Differential thermal analyser DSC (-150°C - +725°C)
- ATD/ATG (-120°C - +850°C)
- Dilatometry (20°- 1400°C)
- Acoustical
- Chemical
Bulk Ceramic Processing
- Planetary Mills
- Atritor mill – Volume: 500 ml
- Hydraulic Uniaxial Press
- Warm Isostatic Press
- Chamber Furnaces - Maximum temperature: 1200 °C
- Vacuum Furnace - Maximum temperature: 1200 °C
- Tube Furnaces - Maximum temperature: 1450 C or 1600°C
- Hot Press - Maximum temperature = 1250 C - Maximum pressure = 100 MPa
Thin Films and Nanopowders by Solution Synthesis
- DryBox
- Laboratory Glass Equipment for Work in Inert atmosphere (manifold for inert gas, adapted standard glassware)
- Flow Boxes for Thin and Thick Film Deposition 100 particles/m3, Standard: FED STD 209E
- Spin coaters: Rotation speed: 1000-8000 rpm
- Quartz lamp furnace (JSI) - Maximum temperature 650C
- Sputtering System (5 Pascal)
- Tapes, Thick Films and Thick-Film Hybrid Technology
- Tape casting
- Roll Mill
- Screen Printer
- Belt Furnaces - Maximum temperature 900°C
- Reflow Soldering Wire Bonders
Structures
Various processing and characterisation techniques are available for production and testing of structures including Textured materials, Multilayered, Multifunctional and/or 3D-structures
- Deposition
- Vacuum deposition (thermal, e-beam, flash)
- Photolytography process
- Hot embossing step & repeat
- UV projection step&repeat
- Wet etching benches
- LB deposition
- Glove boxes
- Screen printing
- 3D profilometers
- AFM, SEM
- Soft lithography
- UV polymerization system
- Real time control of photopolymerization
- Replica moulding process
- Electrodeposition
- Soft LIGA
- Micro-optics
- LASER Writing System
- Optical Fibers testing lab
- Metrology Lab
- IR Thermography
- Moire’ Holography
- Shearography
- Meccatronics Lab
Modelling
Ranging from linear continuum modelling (thermodynamic) to non-linear approaches; finite element analysis; finite difference methods; molecular dynamic modelling of piezoelectric materials; ab initio studies of ferroelectricity and piezoelectricity for:
- Materials
- Structures
- Devices
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