The strain response of lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric multilayer actuators have been measured up to 10⁷ N/m² stress and the 3.10⁶ V/m periodic unipolar driving voltage. An additional nonstationary strain component is detected. This effect is explained in terms of a simple solution of polarization kinetics specific for unipolar driving voltage. Preliminary experimentally assertions are given for space charge effects which manifest itself in the strain as well as charge plot after removing the mechanical load. It demonstrates that the static load free equilibrium of the actuator is not complete and the charge recently supported by the piezo voltage and then trapped forms a nonuniform space charge field confining the strain relaxation.

Date Published: 4 February 1997
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 2967, Optical Inorganic Dielectric Materials and Devices, (4 February 1997); doi: 10.1117/12.266524

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2967:
Optical Inorganic Dielectric Materials and Devices
Andris Krumins; Donats K. Millers; Andris R. Sternberg; Janis Spigulis, Editor(s)