Manipulation of IDT-Actuated Piezoelectric Membrane Actuators by Silicon Clamping

This paper will introduce a piezoelectric micro membrane actuator with interdigitated (IDT) surface electrodes for polarization and actuation. The thus achieved polarization and generated electric field are highly inhomogeneous and cause therefore also inhomogeneous strain and stress distributions within the piezoelectric material itself. To equalize the strain and stress the material will deform. This deformation can be manipulated due to electrodes design and clamping of the membrane. The most outstanding achievement with this manipulation is the deflection of the membrane towards the actuated surface and not as is common in piezoelectric membrane actuators towards the passive surface of the device.