HDR "Habilitation à Diriger les Recherches" DEFENSE of Gustavo ARDILA

Abstract :
Piezoelectric thin films are widely used in MEMS (Micro Electromechanical Sytems) and NEMS (Nano Electromechanical Systems) actuators and resonators, as well as in mechanical sensors and energy harvesters for IoT (Internet of Things) applications or Wireless Sensors Networks (WSN). Nanotechnology involving piezoelectric materials is a key research direction. Piezoelectric nanocomposites based on semiconducting nanowires are an alternative to thin films with benefits expected from nanostructuration, such as low temperature fabrication, higher flexibility than their thin film counterparts and higher piezoelectric coefficients. Vertically grown piezoelectric nanowires (of ZnO or GaN for instance), embedded into an insulating matrix, are a typical example of such piezoelectric nanocomposite. They may be envisioned as a substitute to present, partly toxic, piezoelectric materials and open the route to novel technologies and device designs.

This presentation will expose the research work that I carried out during my post-doctoral year in 2008 at LAAS-CNRS (Toulouse) and since my recruitment in September 2009 at IMEP-LaHC (Grenoble) as Associate Professor. This work illustrates, using both a theoretical and experimental approach, the use of thick films, thin films, nanocomposites and individual piezoelectric nanostructures for different applications such as sensors or mechanical energy harvesters.

d’énergie mécanique.

Jury members :

• Mrs. Guylaine POULIN-VITTRANT,  CR CNRS, GREMAN, Tours: Reviewer
• M. Skandar BASROUR, PR Université Grenoble Alpes (Polytech): Reviewer
• M. Adrien CARRETERO, CR IES, Montpellier: Reviewer
• Mrs. Carole ROSSI, DR CNRS, LAAS-CNRS, Toulouse: Examiner
• Mrs. Noelle GOGNEAU,  CR CNRS, C2N, Palaiseau: Examiner
• Mrs. Mireille MOUIS, DR CNRS, IMEP-LaHC, Grenoble: Examiner