USA as Represented by Secretary of the Navy

George C Kirby, Iii

Manfred Kahn

Peter Matic

A method for reducing and/or shifting stress in at least one outer end poon of an actuator made from a piezoelectric material. The actuator is affixed to a substrate by an adhesive bond and adapted to cycle between an expanded and contracted positions, which creates stresses in the actuator and in the bond. The method includes the step of doping at least one outer portion of the actuator with a metal oxide to reduce piezoelectric activity therein. In a preferred embodiment, the doped outer portion has a gradient composition varying from the maximum at the end of the actuator to essentially zero concentration at a point inward of the end. The system includes a doped piezoelectric actuator adhesively bonded to a substrate and electrodes attached to the actuator for receiving electrical energy, the actuator containing a metal oxide dopant in the outer portions thereof.

Growing community of inventors

Alexandria, VA, United States of America

George C Kirby, Iii