High-speed actuation of a piezoelectric actuator by pulse driving and stopping of its residual mechanical vibration

The driving method for high-speed actuation and prevention of residual vibration of a piezoelectric actuator is described. The driving voltage is composed of a pulse voltage and a step voltage. As a result, the risetime of the piezoelectric actuator can be reduced to approximately 1/4 of its mechanical response period by setting the pulse width, and the residual vibration can be prevented by adjusting the step voltage. The high-speed stopping of a piezoelectric actuator driven by AC power at its resonance is discussed.