Performance of hydrothermal PZT film on high intensity operation

The deposition processes of PZT thin films have been described in many repo rts, yet there have been no descriptions of the performance of PZT films at high intensity operation. Hydrothermally-deposited PZT film transducers we re examined at large vibration amplitude levels at resonance frequencies. I t was demonstrated that the hydrothermal PZT film expresses superior perfor mance with regard to linearity and maximum vibration velocity. The linearit y of frequency responses at around the resonance frequency was excellent an d superior to bulk material up to high intensity operation. The characteris tics of longitudinal transducers using films formed under two deposition pr ocesses were tested. The maximum vibration velocity was 2.24 m/s when the t hickness of the film was 38 mum and the driving voltage was 145 Vp-p. This velocity value was much larger than bulk PZT materials for high power appli cations. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.