Skip to main content
Log in

Novel Low Voltage Piezoactuators for High Displacements

  • Published:
Journal of Electroceramics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To improve the performance of piezoelectric actuators, new 3-D designs were developed to gain higher displacements or specific bending effects. Such 3-D actuators of e.g. helical structure have next to the standard actuator or sensor applications the potential to be used in Hi-Fi digital sound projectors. To lower the voltage of the power supply for these miniaturized devices, multilayer structures based on thin tapes must be used. Two processing routes to manufacture helical shaped multilayer PZT structures with specific electrode designs are tested. One route starts from tape cast PZT green tapes of 90 μ m or 50 μ m thickness, the other from extruded and stretched PZT filled thermoplastic films (Solufill™) of 9 μ m thickness. The properties of these two films are compared. The sheets are screen printed and laminated similar to standard planar multilayer processing. To manufacture helical three-dimensional multi-layers from these laminates new processing techniques are required. The most important difference compared to planar multilayer processing is the necessity to bend the laminated structures. The bending behavior depends on the layer thickness, the number of layers, the diameter of the helix and the flexibility of the tape. In addition, specific measures have to be taken to ensure that the bent multilayer keeps its shape and keeps the alignment of the electrode design during binder burnout and sintering. Finally, working products of super-helical structure suitable for miniaturized loudspeaker application are built and tested.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. R.E. Newnham and G.R. Ruschau, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 74, 463 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  2. K. Uchino, Piezoelectric Actuators and Ultrasonic Motors (Kluwer Academic Publishers, Norwell, MA, USA, 1997).

    Google Scholar 

  3. F. Mohammadi, A.L. Kholkin, B. Jadidian, and A. Safari, Appl. Phys. Lett., 75, 2488 (1999).

    Google Scholar 

  4. G. Gautschi, Piezoelectric Sensorics (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany, 2002).

    Google Scholar 

  5. A. Hooley, Linear motor and bearings therefore, Patent, GB 2322232 A, 1998.

  6. K. Lubitz, in Piezokeramik, edited by K. Ruschmeyer (Expert Verlag, Renningen, Germany, 1995), p. 62.

    Google Scholar 

  7. A. Hooley, D.H. Pearce, U.R. Lenel, G. McKevitt, and M.R. Shepherd, Electro-active devices, Patent, WO 01/47041 A3, 2000.

  8. B.Su, D.H. Pearce, and T.W. Button, J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., 21, 2005 (2001).

    Google Scholar 

  9. D.H. Pearce, A. Hooley, and T.W. Button, Sensors and Actuators A~100, 281 (2002).

    Google Scholar 

  10. A. Roosen, Tape casting of ceramic green tapes for multilayer device processing, in Ceramic Transactions Vol. 97, edited by H.J. Jean, T.K. Gupta, K.M. Nair, and K. Niwa (The Amer. Ceram. Soc., Columbus, Ohio, USA, 1999), pp. 103–121.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Piezoceramics, Brochure, CeramTec AG, Lauf, Germany.

  12. Brochure, TRS Ceramics Inc., State College, PA, USA.

  13. R. Hoeppener and A. Daemen, A new tape technology to produce multilayer ceramic capacitors, in Proceeedings of the 4th Capacitor and Resistor Technology Symposium, March 1994, pp. 122–129.

  14. N. Gerrits and A. Daemen, High-capacity, multilayer ceramic capacitors produced with Solufill film, in Ceramic Transactions, Vol. 97, edited by H.J. Jean, T.K. Gupta, K.M. Nair, and K. Niwa (The Amer. Ceram. Soc., Columbus, Ohio, USA, 1999), pp. 123–132.

    Google Scholar 

  15. PAL 4, PAL 9 machine, http://www.haikutech.com/products/k-eko_equipment.html, Keko Equipment, Žužemberk, Slovenia.

  16. C. Keintzel, Diploma-Thesis, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Höppener.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wagner, M., Roosen, A., Oostra, H. et al. Novel Low Voltage Piezoactuators for High Displacements. J Electroceram 14, 231–238 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10832-005-0962-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10832-005-0962-7

Keywords:

Navigation