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.