Characteristics comparison of piezoelectric actuators at low electric field: analysis of strainand blocking force

Abstract

This paper presents measurements and analyses of the strain and blocking forcesgenerated by three different piezoelectric actuators (PXE5, PC5H and Pz28) at lowelectric field in order to design micro-actuators for nanomotion. The degree ofnon-linearity and the strain activity are assessed by the introduction of a newparameter with an attempt to relate the capabilities of the actuators to theirpiezoelectric properties. The blocking forces and the strains were calculated using a finiteelement method and compared to measurements. The PC5H, a soft type, showedthe highest strain and blocking force due to its electromechanical properties.