Large Electromechanical Response in a Polycrystalline Alkali-Deficient (K,Na)NbO3 Thin Film on Silicon

The demand for large electromechanical performance in lead-free polycrystalline piezoelectric thin films is driven by the need for compact, high-performance microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based devices operating at low voltages. Here we significantly enhance the electromechanical response in a polycrystalline lead-free oxide thin film by utilizing lattice-defect-induced structural inhomogeneities. Unlike prior observations in mismatched epitaxial films with limited low-frequency enhancements, we achieve large electromechanical strain in a polycrystalline (K,Na)NbO3 film integrated on silicon. This is achieved by inducing self-assembled Nb-rich planar faults with a nonstoichiometric composition. The film exhibits an effective piezoelectric coefficient of 565 pm V–1 at 1 kHz, surpassing those of lead-based counterparts. Notably, lattice defect growth is substrate-independent, and the large electromechanical response is extended to even higher frequencies in a polycrystalline film. Improved properties arise from unique lattice defect morphology and frequency-dependent relaxation behavior, offering a new route to remarkable electromechanical response in polycrystalline thin films.