Design, analysis and fabrication of high frequency piezoelectric transducers

Applicability of the finite element method to optimize high frequency transducers is reported. Two recent studies on piezoelectric transducers or systems are presented, in which the FEM algorithm is used for the optimization of transducers performance. They provide resonance frequencies from greater than 1 MHz to below 10 kHz. First, miniature multimode monolithic flextensional transducers, with active shells, are described. They combine the advantages of small size and low-cost manufacturing with control of the shape of the acoustic radiation/receive pattern. Then, linear arrays are studied and a technique is developed to reduce cross-coupling in acoustical arrays. In each case, numerical results are compared to experiments and show how the finite element tool is used to improve the understanding of the physical behavior of the system.