Improved preparation procedure and properties for a multilayer piezoelectric thick-film actuator

Low-voltage multilayer piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) based thick-film displacement actuators were fabricated on Al2O3 ceramic substrate using a multiple screen-printing process. High isostatic pressure was applied on the multilayer green film before firing to increase the material density and the bonding strength between electrode layer and piezoelectric layer. It was demonstrated that the feasibility for producing multilayer actuators on the substrate was significantly improved with the compression process introduced and the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of the final actuator samples were greatly improved as well. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.