Glossary

Related Piezoelectric terms

Piezoelectric Material

Any material which generates charge when subjected to a mechanical force.

PiezoMeter

System for testing of piezoelectric materials.

d33

Principal performance-determining parameter for piezoelectric materials. Indicates charge per unit force in the polarisation direction of the sample.

d31

As d33, but applying the force perpendicular to the polarisation direction.

dh

As d33, but applying pressure all around the sample by means of fluid pressure. dh = d33+2*d31. It is typically the most important parameter for underwater sound transducers manufactured using lead titanate ceramic material.

g33

Another parameter measuring performance for piezoelectric materials. Indicates electric field strength generated, rather than charge. There are corresponding parameters for other modes, such as g31 and gh.

Dielectric Loss

Indication of loss in dielectric property of a material. This becomes very important at high drive levels for transducers, as it indicates the amount of heat generation one can expect in a piezoelectric device.

BACK TO TOP