High performance screen printed PZT thick film actuators by in-plane mode of excitation

Thick film technology is widely used for Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) applications. Piezoelectric thick films in particular facilitate miniaturization while obtaining good properties and performance of the piezoceramic component. These films mostly use the d31 effect with a through-thickness mode of excitation. Using the d33 effect would increase MEMS performance. We analyzed the force/displacement characteristics of in-plane polarized PZT thick film cantilever structures regarding the element length and the gap between interdigitated electrodes (IDE). Due to d33 about -2 × d31 free displacement and blocking force of cantilevers with IDE-structures reach twice the values obtained on cantilevers with through-thickness mode of excitation. Performance variations dependin g on the electrode gap can be explained by the electrical field distribution which is calculated using ANSYS.