OBJECTIVES Introduction to piezoelectric crystal; Definition and theory about piezoelectric How its work and the operation.

ion. The useful and application of piezoelectric crystals in daily life

THEORY Certain single crystal materials exhibit the following phenomenon: when the crystal is mechanically strained, or when the crystal is deformed by the application of an external stress, electric charges appear on certain of the crystal surfaces; and when the direction of the strain reverses, the polarity of the electric charge is reversed. This is called the direct piezoelectric effect, and the crystals that exhibit it are classed as piezoelectric crystals. (See Fig. 1).

Figure 1. The direct piezoelectric effect.

Conversely, when a piezoelectric crystal is placed in an electric field, or when charges are applied by external means to its faces, the crystal exhibits strain, i.e. the dimensions of the crystal change. When the direction of the applied electric field is reversed, the direction of the resulting strain is reversed. This is called the converse piezoelectric effect. (See Fig. 2).

Figure 2. The converse piezoelectric effect.

INTRODUCTION

Piezoelectric crystals are one of many small scale energy sources. Whenever piezoelectric crystals are mechanically deformed or subject to vibration they generate a small voltage, commonly know as piezoelectricity. This form of renewable energy is not ideally suited to an industrial situation. The ability of certain crystals to generate Piezoelectricity in response to applied mechanical stress is reversible in that piezoelectric crystals, when subjected to an externally applied voltage, can change shape by a small amount. This deformation, though only nanometers, has useful applications such as the production and detection of sound. Probably the best-known use of piezoelectric crystals is in the electric cigarette lighter. Here, pressing the button causes a spring-loaded hammer

to hit a piezoelectric crystal, the high voltage produced by this ignites the gas as the current jumps over a small spark gap. This technique also applies to some gas lighters used on gas grills or stoves. Another common usage of a piezoelectric crystal energy source is that of creating a small motor; such as that used in a reflex camera to operate the auto focus system. These motors operate by vibration. The two surfaces are forced to vibrate at a phase shift of 90 degrees by a sine wave that has been generated at the motors resonant frequency. This forces a frictional force where the two surfaces meet and as one of the surfaces is fixed the other is forced to move. It has been found that piezoelectric crystals that have been embedded in the sole of a shoe can yield a small amount of energy with each step. This could be applied in a way that the power for instruments such as torches, cell phones or other entertainment devices can be sourced from the movement of the operator. The phenomenon is due to the asymmetric structure of the crystals that allows ions to move more easily along one axis than the others. As pressure is applied, each side of the crystal takes on an opposite charge, resulting in a voltage drop across the crystal. This effect is linear, and disappears when the pressure is completely taken away. Piezoelectric materials have wide applications as transducers - transferring mechanical motion into electricity or electricity into mechanical motion.

FINDING Piezoelectric Effect Basics A piezoelectric substance is one that produces an electric charge when a mechanical stress is applied (the substance is squeezed or stretched). Conversely, a mechanical deformation (the substance shrinks or expands) is produced when an electric field is applied. This effect is formed in crystals that have no center of symmetry. To explain this, we have to look at the individual molecules that make up the crystal. Each molecule has a polarization, one end is more negatively charged and the other end is positively charged, and is called a dipole. This is a result of the atoms that make up the molecule and the way the molecules are shaped. The polar axis is an imaginary line that runs through the center of both charges on the molecule. In a monocrystal the polar axes of all of the dipoles lie in one direction. The crystal is said to be symmetrical because if you were to cut the crystal at any point, the resultant polar axes of the two pieces would lie in the same direction as the original. In a polycrystal, there are different regions within the material that have a different polar axis. It is asymmetrical because there is no point at which the crystal could be cut that would leave the two remaining pieces with the same resultant polar axis. In order to produce the piezoelectric effect, the polycrystal is heated under the application of a strong electric field. The heat allows the molecules to move

more freely and the electric field forces all of the dipoles in the crystal to line up and face in nearly the same direction. Piezoelectric materials can be divided in 2 main groups: crystals and ceramics. The most well-known piezoelectric material is quartz (SiO2). The properties of quartz is a very pure crystal and contains only traces of other elements. Quartz shows a strong piezoelectric effect perpendicularly to the prism axis. Applying pressure on a quartz crystal generates an electrical polarization along the pressure direction. Alternatively, applying an electrical tension leads to a mechanical deformation of the crystal. Another types of crystal is Aluminum orthophosphate Berlinite (AlPO4), Gallium orthophosphate (GaPO4), and Tourmaline. One of the most widespread examples is a quartz resonator. The quartz resonator converts the electrical potential energy of a battery into a steady beat that becomes the oscillator (counter) of a watch. Other common examples include cigarette and gas burner lighters which produce a spark, buzzers found in microwave ovens and phones, tiny microphones and earphones, and inkjet printers. Today, examples of the inverse piezoelectric effect can be seen more readily. The inverse effect uses a voltage applied to a piezoelectric crystal to bend it in a desired direction. By construction a tube with three piezoelectric crystals, motion can be achieved in all three dimensions. Because of their high precision (on the nanometer scale!), these piezoelectric tubes are used in cases where small controlled motion is necessary.

Piezoelectric Effect The X-Y axis of a piezoelectric crystal and its cutting technique is shown in the figure below.

The direction, perpendicular to the largest face, is the cut axis referred to. If an electric stress is applied in the directions of an electric axis (X-axis), a mechanical strain is produced in the direction of the Y-axis, which is perpendicular to the relevant X-axis. Similarly, if a mechanical strain is given along the Y-axis, electrical charges will be produced on the faces of the crystal, perpendicular to the X-axis which is at right angles to the Y-axis. Some of the materials that inherit piezo-electric effect are quartz crystal, Rochelle salt, barium titanate, and so on. The main advantages of these crystals are that they have high mechanical and thermal state capability, capability of withstanding high order of strain, low leakage, and good frequency response, and so on. A piezoelectric transducer may be operated

in one of the several modes as shown in the figure below.

Figure : Piezoelectric Crystal

DISCUSSION & RECOMMENDATION

Piezoelectric crystal are principally used in HF accelerometers, since the frequency is a very stable quantity. Piezoelectric crystal can measure

pressure in the same way a force or an acceleration can be measured. For low pressure measurement, possible vibration of the amount should be compensated for. The pressure measuring quartz disc stack faces the pressure through a diaphragm and on the other side of this stack, the compensating mass followed by a compensating quartz. A piezoelectric crystal is an active sensor and it does not need the help of an external power as it is self-generating.

CONCLUSION The piezoelectric crystal bends in different ways at different

frequencies. This bending is called the vibration mode. The crystal can be made into various shapes to achieve different vibration modes. To realize small, cost effective, and high performance products, several modes have been developed to operate over several frequency ranges. These modes allow us to make products working in the low kHz range up to the MHz range. Piezoelectric crystals produce electricity when pressure is applied to them. These crystals often are used in electronic devices, especially small ones requiring miniscule electrical connections. Rochelle salt is one kind of piezoelectric crystal. It is less dense than other varieties, and it is the cheapest and easiest to produce at home.

REFERENCE

H S Kalasi (2007): Electronic Instrumentation, 2nd edition, McCraw Hill http://www.thefreedictionary.com/piezoelectric+crystal http://www.greenenergyhelpfiles.com/piezoelectriccrystal.htm http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5132808_do-piezoelectric-crystals-work.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroelectric_crystal http://www.piezomaterials.com/Quartz-SiO2.htm