The effect of geometry on the characteristics of the moonie transducer and reliability issue

The moonie actuator is a versatile performer that fills the gap between the multilayer actuator and the bimorph actuator. This paper describes the effect of geometrical changes in the endcap on the moonie´s actuator characteristics. The reliability of multilayer moonie actuators were tested for long term usage and a wide range of temperatures. The effect of cavity dimensions, which are the key parameters for transformation and amplification of lateral motion into axial motion, on the characteristics of the moonie actuator were investigated. Fatigue tests of multilayer moonie actuator were performed under a cyclic electric field of 1 kV/mm with triangular wave form at 100 Hz, up to 10⁷ cycles, at room temperature. Deviations less than ±0.1% from the original displacement value were observed. Temperature dependence experiments were performed in the range of -20 to +70°C. Maximum ±15% nonpermanent deviations in the displacement from the room temperature value were observed