Abstract: The invention relates to a piezoelectric crystal with transversal effect which may be fitted into a sensor without centering effort or the use of other means, yet assuring a centered and aligned position. For this the crystal according to the invention has a base with at least individual circular segments, which can be fitted into a drill provided for it in a holding device of the sensor. Moreover the crystal production can be automated for mass production, thereby lowering its costs.

Abstract: In a state in which respective portions of a quartz wafer 1 have been masked by a plurality of kinds of mask layers R2, R3 that have respectively different etching rates, this quartz wafer 1 is subject to an etching process. Since the etching operation is started earlier at a portion masked by the mask layer having a high etching rate, the amount of etching is increased at this portion. In contrast, the start of the etching operation is delayed at a portion masked by the mask layer having a low etching rate, and the amount of etching is reduced at this portion. Thus, it becomes possible to form the quartz wafer 1 into a desired shape.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved devices, systems and methods that convert between electrical and mechanical energy. An electroactive polymer transducer converts between electrical and mechanical energy. An active area is a portion of an electroactive polymer transducer. The active area comprises a portion of an electroactive polymer and at least two electrodes that provide or receive electrical energy to or from the portion. The present invention relates to transducers and devices comprising multiple active areas that are in electrically communication. More specifically, the present invention relates to master/slave arrangements for multiple active areas disposed on one or more electroactive polymers. In a master/slave arrangement, a first active area deflects (a ‘master’), and a second active area reacts (a ‘slave’).

Abstract: The Lame mode quartz crystal resonator vibrating in overtone mode is formed of an X-plate quartz crystal obtained in a manner that a blank X-plate quartz crystal having a coordinate of x, y and z axes is rotated through 36.5° to 47° about its y-axis and further rotated through 65° to 85° about a new x′-axis corresponding to the x-axis produced by the rotation about the y-axis and the thus rotated blank X-plate quartz crystal is then cut out along planes parallel to x-y, y-z and z-x planes of the original coordinate system, respectively. The quartz crystal resonator includes a vibrating portion, a supporting frame and a mounting portion formed integrally. The vibrating portion is connected through two connecting portions to the supporting frame and the mounting portion, as a result of which the quartz crystal resonator has less series resistance R1 and exhibits minimum vibrational energy losses and minimum frequency change over a wide temperature range.

Abstract: A piezoelectric vibration element comprises a vibration element part 1, a vibration propagation part 2 made of a same material with a greater thickness than the vibration element part 1, a groove 6 disposed in the boundary of the vibration element part 1 and vibration propagation part 2, excitation electrodes 3 confronting the face side and back side of the vibration element part 1, a connection electrode 4 disposed in the vibration propagation part 2, and an external lead-out electrode 5 connected electrically to the connection electrode 4. In this piezoelectric vibration element, the main vibration is the overtone mode, that is, when the lowest order wave mode is first-order or second-order, the wavelength in the thickness direction is (2n+1) times (n being a natural number) thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a megasonic cleaning apparatus configured to provide effective cleaning of a substrate without causing damage to the substrate. The apparatus includes a probe having one of a variety of cross-sections configured to decrease the ratio of normal-incident waves to shallow-angle waves. One such cross-section includes a channel running along a portion of the lower edge of the probe. Another cross-section includes a narrow lower edge of the probe. Another cross-section is elliptical. Another cross-section includes transverse bores originating in the lower edge of the probe. As an alternative to, or in addition to, providing a probe having a cross-section other than circular, the present invention may also provide a probe having a roughened lower surface.

Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator comprising a piezoelectric substrate having a tapered portion as viewed from the side thereof, and drive electrodes provided on both opposing tapered surfaces of said tapered portion. The piezoelectric resonator corrects the dispersion in the thickness of the piezoelectric substrate relying upon the positions where the drive electrodes are formed, and makes it easy to finely adjust he frequency for compensating the dispersion in the thickness.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device includes a base 11 having a pair of movable parts 11a, 11b opposing each other and a connecting part 11c that connects movable parts 11a, 11b with each other at one end thereof as well as piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements 12a, 12b disposed on the side surfaces of movable parts 11a, 11b of base 11. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive device is constructed in a simple structure with fewer components. Base 11 is integrally formed in an open-box shape or in a horseshoe shape by bending one sheet of band-shaped flat plate. Movable parts 11a, 11b extend for a predetermined length from respective ends of connecting part 11c to the other ends. The other ends of movable parts 11a, 11b constitute a mounting site for mounting a component to be controlled or a component to be tested.

Abstract: The invention relates to a crosslinked resin and to its application in the manufacture of ceramic or glass patterns at the surface of a substrate.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer particularly useful in medical imaging includes a transducer comprising a transducer body having a major front surface for radiating ultrasonic energy to a propagation medium responsive to mechanical vibration of the transducer. The transducer includes a piezoelectric member having a curved shape including a curved front surface. The curved shape is produced by deforming a planar piezoelectric composite member to produce the desired curvature and returning the curvature using suction forces. A graded frequency region is created by grinding the curved front surface of the piezoelectric element along a grinding plane. This region is defined by the area of intersection of the grinding plane and the front surface of the curved piezoelectric member and different implementations, covers all or less than all of the total front surface.

Abstract: A pressure- and temperature-sensitive transducer comprises a tubular housing, a resonator located within the housing and end caps closing the ends of the housing. The resonator is located in a radial plane with respect to the housing and is connected to the housing by two separate connecting regions. The housing, resonator and connecting, regions are formed from a single piece of double rotation cut quartz. The shape, dimensions and position of the connecting regions is chosen to optimize stress in an axis responsive to changes in pressure and temperature while minimizing stress in an axis responsive predominantly to pressure.

Abstract: A vibrating piece in which a CI values ratio is maintained constant while minimizing the CI value of the fundamental wave, variations of the CI values between the vibrating piece devices are reduced even if the base is made short, and the entire vibrating piece can be made smaller.

Abstract: There is provided an actuator utilizing a piezoelectric transducer that is structured in small size by feeding the electrical power to the internal surface to the piezoelectric transducer formed in the cylindrical shape. The electrodes are formed to both front and rear surfaces of a sheet type piezoelectric element and this element is wound in the cylindrical shape. The cylindrical material is normalized under the predetermined temperature and a voltage is applied across the electrodes for the polarization purpose. An electrode terminal having the contactors is inserted to the internal surface of the piezoelectric transducer formed in the cylindrical shape and the contactors are placed in contact with the electrodes exposed at the internal surface of the cylindrical shape for the purpose of power feeding.

Abstract: A vibrating rate gyro structure machined in a plate of material and comprising a fixed part, a resonator, and a mechanical system connecting the resonator to the fixed part. The mechanical system comprises a first mobile mass part connected to one end of the resonator, a second mobile mass part (4) connected to the resonator and situated in the vicinity of the other end of the resonator, two flexible arms situated on both sides of the resonator and each connecting the first mobile mass part to the second mobile mass part, and two other flexible arms situated on both sides of the resonator and connecting the second mobile mass part to the fixed part.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device including a pair of mutually opposing thin plate sections, a movable section, and a fixation section for supporting the thin plate sections and the movable section. At least one piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is arranged on the pair of thin plate sections, and a hole is formed by both inner walls of the pair of thin plate sections, an inner wall of the movable section, and an inner wall of the fixation section. The pair of thin plate sections are previously bent in directions to make mutual separation so that they have an outwardly convex configuration.

Abstract: A bistable actuator for residual-current devices, including a lamina having at least one face, a first end, and a second end, and configured to actuate from a first stable position to a second stable position; at least one layer of piezoelectric material provided on the at least one face of the lamina at the first end of the lamina, and configured to stimulate the lamina to shift from the first stable position to the second stable position in response to an electrical activation signal; and a support element including an interlock coupling, and configured to support the first end and the second end of the lamina, wherein the interlock coupling is configured to interlock the first end of the lamina to the support element, and the second end of the lamina is rigidly coupled to the support element in order to keep the lamina in the first stable position.

Abstract: A controlled collapse joint includes a piezoelectric coupler that frictionally couples two bodies. The coupler includes concentric inner and outer members mounted for relative motion on cooperating bearing surfaces. The two surfaces engage each other with an interference fit that resists relative motion and frictionally couples the members. One of the surfaces is formed on a piezoelectric component that moves towards or away the other surface when a voltage difference is applied to the piezoelectric component. The coupling of the two members is adjustable by varying the applied voltage difference to increase or decrease the interference fit between the piezoelectric component and the other member.

Abstract: The present invention disclosed a SAW filter in which unnecessary space on a chip can be reduced in comparison with the prior art, and in which a smaller chip can be realized. Because oblique step shaped reflection surfaces are provided in order to reflect the SAW, a smaller SAW filter than that used in the prior art can be realized.

Abstract: A ladder-type piezoelectric filter includes two parallel resonators to vibrate in a square type vibration mode, each of which has a substantially square shape, and two series resonators adapted to vibrate in a square type vibration mode, each of which has a substantially square shape and has a corner cut portion located at each of four corners. The parallel and series resonators have substantially equal distances between respective opposite side edges thereof and are made from materials having the same frequency constant. The parallel and series resonators are housed within a housing and are aligned at approximate centers thereof.

Abstract: A vibrating rate gyro structure machined in a plate of material and comprising a fixed part, a resonator, and a mechanical system connecting the resonator to the fixed part. The mechanical system comprises a first mobile mass part connected to one end of the resonator, a second mobile mass part (4) connected to the resonator and situated in the vicinity of the other end of the resonator, two flexible arms situated on both sides of the resonator and each connecting the first mobile mass part to the second mobile mass part, and two other flexible arms situated on both sides of the resonator and connecting the second mobile mass part to the fixed part.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator that is capable of providing up to six degrees of positioning freedom. Specifically, the piezoelectric actuator is capable of providing positioning freedom in three linear directions (x, y, z) and three rotary angles (&phgr;, &thgr;, &psgr;). The piezoelectric actuator typically comprises a plurality of unit cells stacked on top of one another. Each unit cell comprises a base plate, a cruciform base, and a stack of piezoelectric plates. The base plate is used to support the cruciform base. The cruciform base comprises a piezoelectric cruciform-shaped body, a plurality of electrodes formed on the top surface of the cruciform-shaped body, and a ground plane formed on the bottom surface of the cruciform-shaped body. Each piezoelectric plate in the stack of piezoelectric plates comprises a piezoelectric plate body, a plurality of electrodes formed on the top surface of the plate body, and a ground plane formed on the bottom surface of the plate body.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a thin plate includes steps of: securing the thin plate at a mounting platform; forming a metal plating film in contact with an external circumferential surface of the thin plate on a surface of the mounting platform; and grinding the thin plate until the thin plate achieves a specific thickness.

Abstract: A vibrator of a vibratory gyroscope comprises a main arm having a base part and at least one bending-vibration piece extending from the base part in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction of the base part and a fixing part for fixing one end of the base part, and the base part and the bending-vibration piece are formed so as to extend substantially in a specified plane. Preferably, at the opposite side to one end of the base part, a projection projecting from the bending-vibration piece is provided, or at least a pair of resonant arms resonating with vibration of the base part, said pair of resonant arms projecting from the fixing part are provided. Thanks to this, it has been possible to detect a turning angular rate in a sufficiently high accuracy without providing a projection which has a certain weight and extends from the vibrator toward the axis of turning even in case of arranging the vibrator so that the vibration arm of the vibrator extends perpendicularly to the axis of turning.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an elastic surface-wave device, and more particularly to an elastic surface-wave device of a greatly increased performance, compared with a prior art elastic surface-wave device, and which is compact. The elastic surface-wave device includes a substrate including a surface having a region which is formed by at least a part of a spherical surface and is circularly continuous, and a surface acoustic wave generator which is provided in the surface region of the substrate and generates surface acoustic waves propagating in a continuous direction of the surface region. The surface acoustic wave generator generates surface acoustic waves in such a manner these waves can propagate only in the continuous direction without being diffused in a direction crossing the continuous direction along the surface region.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator and a rotor. A plurality of slits are arranged at substantially equal angular intervals along an outer peripheral surface of the rotor. A photosensor is supported inside of an upper housing of the motor. The photosensor is arranged to oppose each one of the slits in a radial direction of the rotor when the slit comes in front of the photosensor during rotation of the rotor. Based on a signal outputted from the photosensor, a control device applies a high frequency alternating voltage between first and second electrode plates of the stator.

Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator is constructed to be vibrated in a square type vibration mode and to minimize the variations in the resonant frequency caused by the manufacturing process. The resonator includes a piezoelectric substrate having a pair of main surfaces, electrodes disposed on the pair of main surfaces and grooves provided on one of the main surfaces of the piezoelectric substrate. The grooves divide at least one of the electrodes into a plurality of divided electrodes. One of the plurality of divided electrodes defines an input/output electrode. A maximum distance between the outer edges of two of the grooves disposed opposite to each other across the input/output electrode is about 0.5 to about 0.55 times the length of one side edge of the piezoelectric substrate.

Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator has a structure that enables easy manufacturing thereof and that damps the fundamental wave of a thickness vertical vibration mode with high accuracy, while effectively utilizing the resonance characteristics based on the third harmonic. In the piezoelectric resonator, first and second excitation electrodes are located on two main surfaces of a piezoelectric substrate, lead-out electrodes and terminal electrodes are provided for each of the first and second excitation electrodes, and each of the terminal electrodes is arranged to occupy an area that is not less than about 10% of the area of an annular region which ranges over a normal-line distance of about 1.2 d to about 2 d from the outer peripheral edge of each of the excitation electrodes, where d is the diameter of each of the excitation electrodes.

Abstract: A vibrator of a vibratory gyroscope comprises a main arm having a base part and at least one bending-vibration piece extending from the base part in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction of the base part and a fixing part for fixing one end of the base part, and the base part and the bending-vibration piece are formed so as to extend substantially in a specified plane. Preferably, at the opposite side to one end of the base part, a projection projecting from the bending-vibration piece is provided, or at least a pair of resonant arms resonating with vibration of the base part, said pair of resonant arms projecting from the fixing part are provided. Thanks to this, it has been possible to detect a turning angular rate in a sufficiently high accuracy without providing a projection which has a certain weight and extends from the vibrator toward the axis of turning even in case of arranging the vibrator so that the vibration arm of the vibrator extends perpendicularly to the axis of turning.

Abstract: An acoustic wave transceiver device comprising a sheet of material which responds electrically to acoustic waves and a signal processor which processes the voltage signal produced by the sheet is disclosed. The sheet has an irregular shape which depends on a width function. The sheet produces a voltage signal representing the convolution of the acoustic signal information in a received wave and the width function. The signal processor deconvolves the voltage signal using said width function which is stored in its memory. A method of selecting the width function (and therefor the shape) based on the Fourier transform of a mathematical relation with orthogonal properties is also disclosed.

Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator is constructed to be vibrated in a square type vibration mode and to minimize the variations in the resonant frequency caused by the manufacturing process. The resonator includes a piezoelectric substrate having a pair of main surfaces, electrodes disposed on the pair of main surfaces and grooves provided on one of the main surfaces of the piezoelectric substrate. The grooves divide at least one of the electrodes into a plurality of divided electrodes. One of the plurality of divided electrodes defines an input/output electrode. A maximum distance between the outer edges of two of the grooves disposed opposite to each other across the input/output electrode is about 0.5 to about 0.55 times the length of one side edge of the piezoelectric substrate.

Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator vibrates in a square vibration mode and includes a piezoelectric substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface, electrodes provided on the first major surface and the second major surface of the piezoelectric substrate and a groove provided in at least one of the first major surface and the second major surface of the piezoelectric substrate. The groove divides at least one of the electrodes into a plurality of areas such that the electrostatic capacitance of the resonator is changed by varying the position, the width and the depth of the groove provided on the piezoelectric substrate.

Abstract: A four-beam tuning fork is provided in which the base part thereof is stationary regardless of the vibration of the resonator, the same vibration mode being used for both excitation and detection, and the outputs from a plurality of beams are used to cancel the noise output caused by externally applied vibration

Abstract: A chip piezoelectric filter has a plurality of energy-trap piezoelectric filters and effectively minimizes unnecessary spurious components in areas other than passbands. In the chip piezoelectric filter, first and second piezoelectric substrates on which first and second energy-trap piezoelectric filter sections are provided, respectively, are stacked on each other and separated from each other via a spacer. Also, first and second housing substrates are individually stacked on upper and lower portions of the first and second piezoelectric substrates. A first cavity is provided in the spacer to prevent interference of vibrations of the first and second piezoelectric substrates. The area of the first cavity is larger than the area of each of second and third cavities individually formed on outer surfaces of the first and second piezoelectric substrates.

Abstract: A method of producing an acoustically absorbing anisotropic backing structure for an ultrasound transceiver is disclosed. Laser machining of a substrate of acoustically absorbent electrically resistive material produces a set of vias and indented pad seats. The machined substrate is plated with an electrically conductive material. Excess electrically conductive material is removed from the substrate to leave an electrically conductive material plating on the indented pad seats and the vias to form conductive pads and plated vias on the substrate.

Abstract: An alert apparatus for a personal communication device includes a mechanically prestressed piezoelectric wafer positioned within the personal communication device and an alternating voltage input line coupled at two points of the wafer where polarity is recognized. The alert apparatus also includes a variable frequency device coupled to the alternating voltage input line, operative to switch the alternating voltage on the alternating voltage input line at least between an alternating voltage having a first frequency and an alternating voltage having a second frequency. The first frequency is preferably sufficiently high so as to cause the wafer to vibrate at a resulting frequency that produces a sound perceptible by a human ear, and the second frequency is preferably sufficiently low so as to cause the wafer to vibrate at a resulting frequency that produces a vibration readily felt by a holder of the personal communication device.

Abstract: A shape formed multi-laminate transducer which conforms to nonlinear dependent shaped geometries and the shape forming process for producing the nonlinear dependent shaped multilaminate transducer is presented. The shape forming process includes the cutting of the tape cast material to a predetermined two-dimensional shape and then pressing the cut material to form the desired three-dimensional nonlinear dependent shape. After shape forming, the sample is sintered, metalized, poled, and made into an acoustical device such as a transducer. The production of such a device by using tape cast material allows designers to easily vary the shape of the product as well as to be able to vary the properties within simply by exploiting the lamination method associated with tape casting. As such, a designer is able to design and manufacture a transducer optimized to meet the requirements of a particular application.

Abstract: An electrode has an apodization ratio greater than one along a direction parallel to an interaction length of the electrode. The electrode also has a top edge defined by an aperture function Y(x). The aperture function Y(x) has no points of discontinuity along the interaction length of the electrode. An area centroid of the electrode is at a midpoint of the interaction length.

Abstract: A single crystal perovskite material is provided having the formula, M&agr;Bi&bgr;M′&ggr;M″&dgr;O3±z, where M is one or more of Na, K, Rb and Cs; M′ is one or more of Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb, Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu; and M″ is one or more of Ti, Zr, Hf, Sn, Ge, Mg, Zn, Al, Sc, Ga, Nb, Mo, Sb, Ta and W; where z≦0.1; 0.9≦&dgr;≦1.1; &agr;, &bgr; and &ggr; are greater than zero; and (&agr;+&bgr;+&ggr;) is in the range of about 0.75 to 1.1. A perovskite material of the formula, Na&ohgr;M&agr;Bi&bgr;M′&ggr;M″&dgr;O3±z, is provided where M is one or more of K, Rb and Cs; M′ is one or more of Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb, Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Th, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu; M″ is one or more of Ti, Zr, Hf, Sn, Ge, Mg, Zn, Al, Sc, Ga, Nb, Mo, Sb, Ta and W; where z≦0.1; 0.9≦&dgr;≦1.1; &agr;, &bgr; and &ggr; are greater than zero; and (&agr;+&bgr;+&ggr;) is in the range of about 0.75 to 1.1.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a resonance element includes the steps of preparing a multilayered body having a plurality of piezoelectric layers and a plurality of inner electrodes laminated to each other, forming an insulating film on one surface of the multilayered body at exposed portions of the inner electrodes, the insulating film having a plurality of openings constituting substantially parallel rows which are substantially parallel to the laminating direction of the multilayered body, forming an outer electrode on substantially the entire surface on which the insulating film is formed, forming a plurality of grooves on the surface on which the outer electrode is formed and cutting the multilayered body substantially parallel to the grooves, wherein a first group of the openings in a first of the rows are disposed on every alternate exposed portion of the internal electrodes, and a second group of remaining openings in a second row adjacent to the first row are disposed on each of the remaining alternate ex

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator has a base, and an array of drive columns separated by grooves and each having a top surface for outputting a displacement force. Each of the drive columns is formed in a unitary body with an underlying portion of the base by a first block of a plurality of green sheets made of a piezoelectric material and stacked together. The base has additionally a second block of green sheets stacked between adjacent two of the first block at the portion of the base underlying the groove.

Abstract: A stacked piezoelectric resonator and a characteristics-adjusting method therefor from which a desired capacitance can be obtained without changing outer dimensions of stacked piezoelectric resonators and without changing the design of a mother substrate used for forming a base for the resonators. A stacked piezoelectric resonator includes the base on which piezoelectric layers and internal electrodes are mounted. Each of the stacked surfaces of the piezoelectric layers and internal electrodes is arranged at an angle so as not to be perpendicular relative to a length of the base. The internal electrodes are alternately covered by insulators, and the external electrodes are disposed thereon and alternately connected to the internal electrodes arranged adjacent to each other to the external electrodes. To obtain the base, the mother substrate on which the piezoelectric layers and the internal electrodes are mounted is cut at an angle so as not to be perpendicular relative to each of the stacked surfaces.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a piezoelectric actuator comprising a plurality of driving columns separated by grooves in which the width of each driving column in the direction of the groove width widens from the displacement output surface to the substrate. The widening of the diving column width toward the substrate realizes a piezoelectric actuator having a high strength and a high reliability capable of stably and effectively generating an output displacement.

Abstract: A piezoelectric transducer of a new laminated structure is provided that is easy to fabricate, produces a large amount of motive energy and has high mechanical strength. Electrodes are installed on one of the surfaces of respectively a first and a second piezoelectric element formed in a thin shape, a second piezoelectric element formed without an electrode is laminated onto the top of the surface of the first piezoelectric element having an electrode to form a laminated piece. The laminated piece is wound to form a tube or folded to form a rod. The tube or rod-shaped laminate is then baked and polarized to produce a piezoelectric transducer.

Abstract: A vibrator includes a vibratable body of a flat plate shape and four notches provided from four parts of the outer periphery of said vibrating body with approximately equal intervals to a center of said vibratable body. A vibrating gyroscope includes the vibrator, as well as a drive unit and a detecting unit.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer is provided that includes a plurality of transducer elements having a first surface facing a region of examination when the transducer is in use and a second surface opposite of the first surface. The first surface or the second surface or both may be non-planar in an elevation direction. A nosepiece having an integrated faceplate is disposed over the transducer and a filler material may fill an area between the first surface of the transducer elements and the interior surface of the integrated faceplate. The filler material may have focusing or non-focusing properties.

Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrator using thickness mode as the primary vibration and having a cross section of a bevel or convex configuration is provided which is superior in mechanical strength, easy to steadily mount, and has a small dispersion of characteristic. By employing a structure in which a vibrator 1 and a support section 2 are composed of the same material, the end portions of the vibrator section are integrated with the support section on the periphery of the vibrator, and the configuration of the cross section of the vibrator 1 is such that the thicknesses of the end portions of the vibrator are smaller than that of the central portion of the vibrator, a superior mechanical strength without chipping or cracking at the end portions of the vibrator is obtained allowing easy mounting while keeping the vibrator size small.

Abstract: This invention relates to an actuator or motor comprising an electromechanical material which alters its shape under the influence of an electrical voltage. Said actuator comprises at least a monolitic module (1,2) with electrodes integrated in said electromechanical material and in that the force or displacement due to the applied voltages is transferred, to the point to be actuated or moved by the shape change of the material, using at least two independent contact points. The invention also relates to a method for fabricating said actuator or motor.

Abstract: A pressure and temperature transducer includes an elongate housing formed from double rotation cut crystal quartz, an elongate plate-like resonator formed from double rotation cut crystal quartz capable of vibrating under an applied electric field located within the housing, the resonator being formed in unitary construction with the housing. The long edges of the resonator are connected to the interior walls of the housing, and short edges of the resonator are free and extend across the interior of the housing in a substantially continuous curve. Electrodes are located on opposite faces of the resonator for applying an electric field which causes the resonator to vibrate. End caps, formed from double rotation cut crystal quartz, are provided at each end of the housing. A borehole tool includes a tool body which can be positioned in a borehole, a probe for sampling fluid in the borehole; and a pressure and/or temperature transducer, connected to the probe for making measurements on the fluid.

Abstract: A multi-segmented flextensional transducer includes a plurality of electroplated electroactive members which deform in concert when energized by an electrical field. Each electroactive member has a convex surface at both ends. A connection member with opposing concave surfaces is disposed between adjacent electroactive members. The electroactive members are arranged such that the convex faces of each intermediate electroactive member engage a concave face of an adjacent connection member, thus forming a cooperative array or "train" of electroactive members and connection members. The opposite ends of the train of electroactive members and connection members is received by a frame which holds the end electroactive members in fixed relative position. The electroactive members are high deformation flextensional piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: An actuator includes a ceramic body having a base and an array of tube-shaped or blade-pair-shaped piezoelectric or electrostrictive ceramic elements defining an enclosure and integral with the base. A first electrode contacts the inner surfaces of walls of the elements, while a second electrode contacts the wall outer surfaces. The actuator is driven for d.sub.31 mode or d.sub.15 mode vibration of the walls. The wall vibration is transmitted to a desired medium via a vibration transmission means, e.g., a compliant polymer filler material of Shore A30 to Shore D75 filling the enclosure and bonded to the walls. Alternatively, a stiff cover plate may be used to transmit the tube wall vibration to a desired medium. An acoustic sensor device is also described.