Development of a Novel Acoustic Sensor using Sputtered ZnO Thin Film

Abstract

In this paper we report fabrication and characterization of ZnO thin film for acoustic sensor application. ZnO thin film of thickness about 680 nm was deposited using RF reactive magnetron sputtering. This film was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for its microstructure and morphology. The sensing property of the ZnO thin film was investigated using a standard electro-acoustic calibrator. The as-synthesized ZnO thin film produced noticeable piezoelectric voltage output for different Sound Pressure Levels. This study indicated the suitability of sputtered ZnO thin film for acoustic sensor application.