The design of low volume fraction 1-3 connectivity composite transducers using finite element modelling techniques

A finite-element design approach for the manufacture of periodic low-volume-fraction 1-3 composite tranducers is described. The range of volume fractions considered is 5% to 40%, with performance assessed for varying piezoceramic pillar geometries and aspect ratios. Performance quality is measured by the uniformity of the thickness mode dilation with an associated high electromechanical coupling coefficient. Pillar geometries and distributions that may be realized via a slice-and-fill manufacturing technique are investigated. Also described is a triangular pillar distribution, where the effects of interpillar resonance are reduced. It is anticipated that this distribution will provide improved thickness mode transduction