2-port Theory

In the previous parts of this book we have developed tools which are useful in the modeling and analysis of transducers, and we have discussed various mechanisms through which electrical signals can be generated from mechanical signals and vice versa. In this section of the book we abandon our detailed concentration on transduction mechanisms, in favor of a discussion of general transducer characteristics. We begin this discussion with a presentation of the classical view of transducers as 2-port elements. Using 2-port models, we will develop reciprocity relations and discuss arrays of transducers which are connected. Following this development, the next chapter will discuss transducer measurement specifications, concentrating on the precise definitions (when they exist) for the various measures of performance.