Tip deflection calculations of small-diameter thin-walled piezoelectric tubes

Piezoelectric tubes with various dimensions were fabricated using the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) process. The tubes are aimed to be used as actuators in fiber-optic switches which require a tip deflection of at least 65 μm. To maximize the tip deflection of the tubes and to achieve multiple-direction switching, the tubes had an unique electrode arrangement and, therefore, new analytic equations were needed to analyze their tip deflection. Equations for thick-walled and thin-walled piezoelectric tubes were developed by modifying existing equations which could be used to estimate the performance of new tubes and to optimize their dimensions for different applications. Experimental verification showed that the new equations gave a good estimation of the new piezoelectric tubes’ deflection. The advantages and limitations of the modified equations are also discussed.