Experimental and Numerical Study on the Second Order Harmonic (H2) and Third Order Intermodulation Distortion (IMD3) Response of Scandium Aluminum Nitride Based FBAR Devices with Different Scandium Doping Levels

Four thin film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs) with piezoelectric material of AIN, SC 0.12 Al 0.88 N, SC 0.85 Al 0.85 N and SC 0.2 Al 0.8 N are measured of 2 ^nd harmonic (H2) and 3 ^rd intermodulation distortion (IMD3), aiming to evaluate nonlinearity performance on different Scandium (Sc) doping levels (0%Sc, 12%Sc, 15 ^% Sc and 20 ^% Sc). Meanwhile, harmonic balance simulations in Advanced Design System (ADS) are performed based on nonlinear Mason model, in which five coefficients have been proven to be influential to H2 and IMD3. Corresponding to underlying physics mechanism, coefficients in H2 equations are analyzed and quantitatively compared among aforementioned piezoelectric materials. Measured IMD3 response and simulated results are in good agreement.