Lockheed Martin Corporation

James D Weigner

Raymond Porzio

Todd Charles Gloo

A tape cast transducer element assembly comprises a tape cast transducer element including a multi-layer piezoelectric stack diced from a sintered piezoelectric body formed from a plurality of thin film tape layers, the film thin tape layers sintered to produce a final density. A conductive film coats select ones of the thin film tape layers such that conductive layers of different polarities are exposed on opposing sides of the multi-layer piezoelectric stack. Electrodes are coupled to the conductive layers. Electrical leads are coupled to each electrode. A head mass is configured to encapsulate a top portion of the stack. A tail mass is configured to encapsulate a bottom portion of the stack. At least one coupling arrangement extends from a top surface of the head mass through the cross-sectional area of the head mass into the tail mass such that the stack is contained in a rigid assembly under compression.

Tape cast multilayer sonar transducer

A manufacturing process provided herein pertains to a single-piece, multi-layer piezoelectric stack in a sonar transducer element utilized in acoustic arrays requiring many thousands of elements. A slurry formed by mixing ceramics, powders, and binders is filtered, dried and cast into a thin film on a moving substrate. When the film has dried, it is removed from the substrate and layered into piezoelectric stacks. Screening a pattern of conductive platinum ink onto a desired layer forms electrodes. Applied heat and pressure forms a unitary body with electrically accessible layers. Burning removes the binders and sintering produces a final density. Dicing the body exposes the desired electrode polarities. A strip of conductive material is applied to connect the electrodes of like polarity and the ceramic parts are polarized. The transducer elements may be arrayed to conform to the curved surfaces such as a ship's hull.

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Clay, NY, United States of America

James D Weigner