Thick-film piezoelectric actuator for micripositioning

Driven by the versatility of conventional thick-film technology , this work was aimed at investigating the application chances of the electric field induced strains in ferroelectric (thick-film) material layers. To this end an experimental investigation is described, which concerns the piezoelectric potenstial of PZT thick-films, screen printed and fired on ceramic substrates, for applications in actuator development. It was carried out on a structure consisting of an alumina plate, clamped as a cantilever beam, the faces of which were supporting two symmetrically placed ferroelectric layers. An interdigital electrode system, created inside them, enabled a polarization parallel to the substrate, hence bending occured in the regions of the beam that were coverted by the film when opposite driving voltages were applied. The deflection measurements and their voltage dependence are shown, together with: strcture design and realization, an analysis and the performance highlighted as a micro-displacement actuator.