Theory and experiment for the design of piezoelectric element for phased arrays

In this paper, combined finite element simulations and experimental measurements are used to study the dynamic response of fluid-loaded piezoelectric element for phased array design. An efficient and robust numerical methodology for 3D coupled structural acoustic model is developed. A confocal Fabry-Perot laser interferometer is used to measure the surface response. Comparisons are made between numerical results and experimental results. Important features in the transducer design such as radiation patterns in the fluid domain, as well as the electromechanical behavior of the transducer, are evaluated.