MAKHACHKALA, April 11 – RIA Dagestan. Dagestan State University physicists have developed a way to create ultrathin zinc oxide films with perfectly vertical crystallites—a breakthrough for piezoelectronics, where converting mechanical and electrical signals efficiently is key.
The team achieved "zero deviation" of crystals, something once thought impossible with standard substrates. They produced films with exceptional structural perfection and fast growth without sacrificing quality.
The researchers didn't just tweak parameters; they found the physical mechanism driving the process. They linked the substrate's position in the magnetron system directly to ZnO's crystallochemical structure.
The hidden factor is electric charge from plasma. Success depends not just on temperature, pressure, or power, but on the charge the substrate picks up in the plasma and how it interacts with ZnO's polar wurtzite structure. That mechanism steers crystallite growth in the right direction.
ZnO is transparent, cheap, non-toxic, radiation-resistant, and thin-film compatible—ideal for piezoelectronic and acousto-optic devices. It's a top candidate for high-frequency filters, sensors, 5G/6G components, MEMS and photonics.