Piezoelectric actuator

A device that converts an applied electric field into mechanical displacement by deforming a piezoelectric material. It can produce precise motion and high force over a short travel range.

Inverse piezoelectric effect: The deformation of a piezoelectric material in response to an applied electric field. It is the direct physical effect that converts the actuator’s electrical input into strain.
Piezoelectric material: A material that develops electric polarization under mechanical stress and changes shape under an electric field. Its composition and orientation set the actuator’s strain, stiffness, and operating limits.
Scanning probe microscopy: A family of microscopy methods that maps surfaces using a sharp probe moved near or across them. Piezo stages position probes with nanometer-scale motion while scanning a surface.
Voice coil actuator: A linear actuator that produces force through current in a coil interacting with a magnetic field. It offers longer, smoother travel, while piezoelectric actuators generally provide shorter motion and higher stiffness.
Piezoelectricity: The coupling between mechanical stress and electric polarization in certain materials. Actuators use its field-driven deformation, the reverse direction of its stress-generated electrical response.
Lead zirconate titanate: A ferroelectric ceramic, commonly abbreviated PZT, used in sensors and actuators. PZT is a widely used actuator material because it combines strong piezoelectric response with practical manufacturability.
Atomic force microscopy: A microscopy technique that maps a surface by measuring forces on a sharp tip attached to a cantilever. Piezo actuators move the sample or tip with precise control during imaging.
Electrostatic actuator: An actuator that produces motion through electrostatic forces between charged or voltage-driven surfaces. It can be fabricated at small scales, but its force and voltage tradeoffs differ from piezoelectric actuation.
Piezoelectric stack actuator: An actuator made from thin piezoelectric layers connected mechanically in series and electrically in parallel. Stacking layers increases useful displacement while preserving high force.
Ferroelectricity: The existence of a switchable spontaneous electric polarization in a material. Many high-performance ceramic actuators rely on ferroelectric domains aligned during poling.

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