In-plane torsion of discal piezoelectric actuators with spiral interdigitated electrodes

Piezoceramic disks with spiral interdigitated electrodes (SIDEs) on their surfaces are proposed to produce in-plane torsion. With constant electrode spiral angle (Type I) and constant pitch between adjacent electrodes (Type II), two typical types of the SIDEs are developed and studied. Working principles of the discal piezoelectric actuators are explained and their static in-plane torsional deformations are formulated. Finite element simulations are used to investigate the static and dynamic properties of the actuators. Non-ideal distributions of electric fields appear serious suppressions on the actuating abilities, even worse for Type I actuator. Due to unsymmetric piezoelectric strains in the thickness direction, bending deformations of the disks are inevitable. Prototype actuators with fixed boundary at the radius of 12 mm are fabricated and tested. With a driving voltage of 400 Vp-p at 1 Hz, the maximum quasi-static in-plane torsional angles are 0.00458 degrees for Type I actuator and 0.00605 degrees for Type II actuator at the radius of 6 mm. With a driving voltage of 10 Vp-p, the vibration amplitudes at the radius of 6 mm are 0.00105 degrees at 86.0 kHz for Type I actuator and 0.00149 degrees at 84.4 kHz for Type II actuator at the first in-plane torsional vibration modes. Crown Copyright (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.