Radially sandwiched cylindrical piezoelectric transducer

A new type of radially sandwiched piezoelectric short cylindrical transducer is developed and its radial vibration is studied. The transducer is composed of a solid metal disk, a radially polarized piezoelectric ceramic short tube and a metal tube. The radial vibrations of the solid metal disk, the radially polarized piezoelectric tube and the metal tube are analyzed and their electromechanical equivalent circuits are introduced. Based on the mechanical boundary conditions among the metal disk, the piezoelectric tube and the metal tube, a three-port electromechanical equivalent circuit for the radially sandwiched transducer is obtained and the frequency equation is given. The theoretical relationship of the resonance and anti-resonance frequencies and the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient with the geometrical dimensions is analyzed. The radial vibration of the sandwiched transducer is simulated by using two different numerical methods. It is shown that the analytical resonance and anti-resonance frequencies are in good agreement with the numerically simulated results. The transducer is expected to be used in piezoelectric resonators, actuators and ultrasonic radiators in ultrasonic and underwater sound applications.