Development of a Non-Linear Element Code for the Improvement of Piezoelectric Actuator Design and Reliability

摘要

Chad Landis and Christopher Lynch have developed a finite element code capable of handling constitutive laws with ferroelectric/ferroelastic major hysteresis loops. Two approaches have been developed and compared, a scalar electric field potential based and a vector electric displacement potential based formulation. The code has been used to conduct simulations of geometries in which the field distribution is inhomogeneous and results in local consentrations such as for interdigitated electrodes, for cofired actuators, and for end constraints. Related work on fracture mechanics of ferroelectrics has been completed in parallel with the code development.