Research Article
Tsutomu Nishigaki, Hiroaki
Abstract
In order to measure the piezoelectric properties of the Hydroxyapatite (HAp) films, we have fabricated Cu/HAp/Ti or Cu/HAp/Pt structure. At first, a 1.5 m thick HAp was deposited on a Ti or Pt substrate using the KrF Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) method. After the HAp deposition, the HAp film was crystallized by post-annealing in nitrogen gas atmosphere and cooled slowly in an electric furnace. Then, a Cu top electrode sheet was attached on HAp film. Finally, one end of the Cu/HAp/Ti or Cu/HAp/Pt structure was clamped to compose a vibrating cantilever beam. Piezoelectric coefficients were estimated by output voltage responses of HAp films measured by a operational amplifier circuit when the Cu/HAp/Ti or Cu/HAp/Pt beam was excited by a mini-shaker at the first natural frequency of the beam. The results showed the piezoelectricity of the artificially synthesized HAp films.