piezoelectric – Page 2 – TechConnect Briefs

High Performance Sputtered PZT Film for MEMS applications

Hishinuma Y., Li Y., Birkmeyer J., Fujii T., Naono T., Arakawa T., FUJIFILM Dimatix, US

We have developed a method of forming PZT films on silicon substrates with a high piezoelectric coefficient using RF sputtering. Films have been formed on 6 inch wafers with thickness variation of less than +/-5% [...]

Analysis and Simulation of Curved Bimorph Microactuators

Pal S., Xie H., University of Florida, US

Difference in strains in the two layers of a bimorph causes it to curl, thereby leading to actuation. Thermal, piezoelectric and shape-memory alloy based straight bimorph actuators have been widely reported. However, little attention has [...]

Design of a normally closed piezoelectric micro valve

Zähringer S., Menacher M., Kirchner P., Schwesinger N., Technische Universitaet Muenchen, DE

In a previously published paper a piezoelectric actuator using surface electrodes was investigated in a macro-microscopic approach. Bases on those results a normally closed piezoelectric micro valve was devoloped. Therefore the electrode structures were minimized [...]

Arrayed, Piezoelectrically-Actuated Mirrors and Gratings for Spectrometer

Chen S.J., Chi D., Lo J., Kim E.S., University of Southern California, US

This paper describes a technology for a compact spectrometer based on a 2D piezoelectric mirror and/or grating array. The piezoelectric mirror/grating array is composed of angularly movable, 2-D array of micromirrors/microgratings that is supported on [...]

Frequency-Interleaved MEMS Ultrasound Transducer

Chen S.J., Choe Y., Kim E.S., University of Southern California, US

This paper presents an ultra-sensitive, broad-bandwidth ultrasound transducer based on frequency interleaving of resonant transducers. A large number of cantilever-like diaphragm transducers with piezoelectric ZnO films have been optimally connected in series and parallel, so [...]

Europe’s First Institute of Piezoelectric Materials & Devices

Cain M.G., National Physical Laboratory, UK

The European ‘Multifunctional Integrated Devices’ Network of Excellence is taking piezoelectric technologies into the industrial mainstream. It has successfully created the European Institute of Piezoelectric Materials and Devices with a founding membership of multidisciplinary researchers [...]

Novel piezo motor enables positive displacement microfluidic pump

Henderson D., New Scale Technologies, US

Microfluidic pumping mechanisms, such as membrane micro pumps, create a pulsed stream with generally low pressure, low flow and limited precision. We present a novel piezoelectric motor that is used to create a positive displacement [...]

Analytical and Computational Solutions to Piezoelectric Bending: A Comparative Study

Sabet A., Avula X.J., Washington University in St. Louis, US

Computational and analytical studies are conducted on piezoelectric beams of various materials in bending mode investigating the effect of variations in length and thickness on tip deflection that might be useful in MEMS actuators. Specifically, [...]

Low Cost Vibration Measuring Device Using MEMS Accelerometer

Pandiyan J., Umapathy M., Balachandar S., Arumugam M., Ramaswamy S., Larsen & Toubro Limited, IN

This paper presents the design of an acceleration sensing transmitter using Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) capacitive accelerometer. It describes the accelerometer sensor interfacing circuit, rms-to-dc converter and voltage to current loop converter circuit design, [...]

Characterisation of thin film piezoelectric materials by differential interferometric techniques

Cain M.G., Steward M., Downs M., National Physical Laboratory, UK

Piezoelectric thin films are considered emergent materials for integration within Micro Systems Technology (MST) or MEMS devices. The development of suitable measurement facilities to characterise the materials functional properties is complicated by the fact that [...]