Vibration analysis of thickness-shear-mode trapped-energy resonators excited by parallel electric field

The energy trapping of thickness-shear vibrations that are excited by paral lel electric field in a partially polarized piezoelectric-ceramic plate is analyzed by the finite element method (FEM), and characteristics of the thi ckness-shear-mode trapped-energy resonators for vibratory gyroscopes are th eoretically revealed. The calculated results obtained by FEM agree well wit h the measured results with respect to the displacement and vibration energ y distributions. It is shown from the results that the vibrational energy o f trapped-energy modes is almost confined to the central region of a partia lly polarized piezoelectric-ceramic plate and the displacement distribution of the mode can be varied by adjusting electrode dimensions.