Piezoelectric Actuator Structure With Substrate Gaps for Miniaturization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing miniature piezoelectric actuators face challenges in achieving compact size and low power consumption while maintaining effective mechanical motion conversion within stringent size, power, and cost constraints.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a piezoelectric member on a rigid substrate, where portions of the substrate are removed to create gaps, defining deformable and rigid portions, and including electrode layers and a piezoelectric material layer, which can be thermally annealed and configured to deflect in response to electrical signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional actuator manufacturing methods are used, then mechanical motion conversion is achieved, but the actuators are too large and consume excessive power for miniature applications
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is segmented by removing portions to create gaps, dividing the actuator into deformable portions (over gaps) and rigid portions (over substrate). This segmentation enables compact design while maintaining mechanical motion conversion efficiency and reducing power consumption through optimized deformation zones.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the actuator are given different properties: deformable portions are created over gaps where substrate material is removed, allowing bending and deformation, while rigid portions remain over intact substrate areas providing structural support. This local differentiation enables compact size while maintaining functionality.
2Strength
If the substrate is made completely rigid for structural support, then mechanical stability is maintained, but the actuator cannot deform to produce mechanical motion
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is divided into regions that are removed (creating gaps) and regions that are retained (providing structural support). This segmentation allows the actuator to have both rigid portions for stability and deformable portions for motion production.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate is given different local properties: areas under deformable portions have material removed to enable bending, while areas under rigid portions retain full substrate thickness for structural support. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between overall stability and local deformability.
3Force
If the piezoelectric layer is made thick for strong actuation force, then mechanical motion conversion is improved, but the actuator size increases beyond miniature constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The piezoelectric actuator is segmented into deformable portions over substrate gaps and rigid portions over substrate. This allows thin piezoelectric layers to generate sufficient force in deformable regions while maintaining compact overall dimensions, eliminating the need for uniformly thick piezoelectric layers throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The piezoelectric layer thickness can be optimized locally: thinner in rigid portions where structural support is needed, and potentially thicker or more densely configured in deformable portions where actuation force is generated. This local optimization achieves strong actuation force within miniature volume constraints.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the creation of compact, power-efficient piezoelectric actuators that can be selectively deformed by varying electric charges, addressing the size and power constraints while maintaining mechanical motion conversion efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoelectric material layer positioned between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer
Implementation Method 2
thermally annealing the piezoelectric material layer
Data Source
AI summary
A method of generating a piezoelectric actuator includes: forming a piezoelectric member upon a rigid substrate; and removing one or more portions of the rigid substrate to form one or more gaps in the rigid substrate, thus defining at least one deformable portion of the piezoelectric member and at least one rigid portion of the piezoelectric member.