PROCESSING OF PIEZOELECTRIC OXIDE FILMS FOR SURFACE HAPTICS

Human-machine interaction (HMI) relies mainly on vision and hearing, but touch is
essential for perceiving the environment, especially for those who are visually impaired. To incorporate touch into HMI systems, haptic technologies have been developed, with piezoelectric actuators being a promising solution. However, challenges exist in integrating these actuators into touch screens due to their thickness and lack of transparency. Researchers have turned to piezoelectric PZT thin films that provide acceptable haptic performance and optical transparency. Depositing these films onto glass substrates presents challenges, requiring a low-temperature process to enable cost-effective and large-scale production. Transparent electrodes, particularly indium tin oxide, are necessary for creating
transparent actuators, but their production process is complex and costly. Chemical
solution deposition (CSD) based on inkjet printing technology is a low-cost and largescale deposition method, enabling direct film patterning without expensive lithography. In this thesis these challenges were addressed by developing a low-temperature flash-lamp process for PZT film growth, low-temperature combustion processed and inkjet printed ITO electrodes, and an all inkjet printed haptic device. Additionally, we proposed the use of thick piezoelectric films for low-power consumption and large deflection in haptic applications that do not require transparency.