Effects of structural design on the performance of low-temperature co-fired multilayer piezoelectric ceramic actuators

The multilayer piezoelectric ceramic actuator (MLCA) represents a crucial driving component for sophisticated equipment in intelligent control systems. Nevertheless, the electromechanical properties of the MLCA are challenging to comprehend due to its intricate structure. Herein, we carried a study to investigate the structure design and preparation of MLCA utilizing finite element simulation calculations and the low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) technique. The results of simulation demonstrate that the multilayer piezoelectric ceramic exhibits a nonlinear relationship between output performance and the structural dimensions of the devices. A lowcost MLCA with a large piezoelectric coefficient d33 of 8172 pC/N was prepared by the LTCC technique using silver as the inner electrode. The MLCA exhibits notable micron-level displacement output characteristics in resonant mode, as demonstrated by finite element calculations and device performance characterization. This offers a promising avenue for the development of cost-effective miniaturized precision piezoelectric actuator devices.