Low Input Voltage Switching Amplifiers for Piezoelectric Actuators

The Inertially Stabilized Rifle is a new stabilized rifle system that can eliminate the disturbances induced by the shooter. Recurve actuator is used in this system to provide the precise movement of the rifle barrel. In such a portable device, only low voltage electrical sources are available yet the piezoelectric actuator needs high voltage to drive the actuator. The actuators consume little real power but a large amount of reactive power. Furthermore, the piezoelectric actuators are present an almost purely capacitive load. In this paper, we describe the development of a low input voltage amplifier for a high voltage piezoelectric actuator. This amplifier is based on switching technology so it efficiently handles the regenerative energy from the piezoelectric actuator. This amplifier consists of two stages. The first stage is a flyback converter which boosts the (low) input voltage to the maximum voltage required by the piezoelectric actuator. The second stage is a half-bridge amplifier which delivers the output voltage to the actuator as commanded by the reference signal. The basic structure of the amplifier is described, and its performance is characterized in terms of bandwidth, distortion, and efficiency.