Optimizing ultrasonic transducers based on piezoelectric composites using a finite-element method

A novel approach to understanding the vibratory behavior of composite piezoelectric materials is proposed. Elementary ceramic rods, and the effects of their width-to-thickness (W/T) ratio are studied. A model based on the finite-element methods is used. Some experimental results that agree well with the computed data are presented. Plots of resonant frequencies and coupling coefficients versus W/T are given that can be used in transducer design.