High-frequency resonant characteristics of triple-layered piezoceramic bimorphs determined using experimental measurements and theoretical analysis

This is an experimental, theoretical, and numerical investigation of vibration characteristics in high-frequency resonance, which are studied for parallel- and series-type piezoelectric bimorphs. In the experimental measurements, the full-field optical technique known as electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) is used to measure the transverse (out-of-plane) and planar (in-plane) resonant frequencies and corresponding mode shapes for piezoelectric bimorphs. In addition, in-plane resonant frequencies are obtained from impedance analysis and the response curves of the frequency spectra show different vibration characteristics of the piezoelectric bimorphs with different electrical connections. Piezoelectric bimorphs with normal connections have three-dimensional coupled vibration characteristics and the out-of-plane vibration dominates the motion. However, only in-plane vibration motions can be excited in the high-frequency range for abnormal connections, and the resonant characteristics are similar to the single-layered piezoelectric plate. The triple-layered piezoelectric bimorphs with abnormal connection are also analyzed using theoretical analysis. The resonant frequencies, mode shapes, and normalized displacements are calculated based on the analytical solution. The experimental results and the theoretical analysis are in good agreement with the numerical calculations using the finite element method. From the discussion of the results for the parallel- and series-type piezoelectric bimorphs with normal and abnormal connections, the vibration characteristics at high frequencies are completely analyzed in this study.