1CEA Leti Minatec, France
Electrostriction, the second order electromechanical effect, can be seen as dc controlled piezoelectricity. Therefore, an electrostrictive resonator will exhibit resonance only when a dc field is applied. Moreover, the "strength" of this enhanced piezoelectricity is also dc controlled and induces a linear dependency of the piezoelectric coefficient versus voltage. This property gives the ability to dc tune the resonance frequency of electrostrictive resonators. The tuning range can reach several per cent which is very interesting for RF agile applications. In this talk, we will review the best electrostrictive thin films materials (mainly perovskites) and the different techniques to synthesize them. A special focus will be dedicated to agile RF resonators and filters: model, experimental results, main issues and future trends.