Structural Health Monitoring is a growing area of interest given the benefits obtained from its use. This area includes different tasks in the damage identification process, the main important, is the damage detection since an early detection allows to avoid possible catastrophes in structures in service. Practical solutions require a big quantity of sensors and a robust system to process and o...

In this work, the effects of some geometric and mechanical parameters that characterize curved relatively soft structures integrated with piezoelectric actuators are investigated. The effect such as curvature, location, extension piezo device, well thickness bonding its strength, considered in view a potentially lighter model replaces device via actions, namely pin forces, whose layout values s...

In this paper, a novel technique for fabricating Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) chips for investigating structural and piezoelectric properties of Pulse Laser Deposited (PLD) Lead Zirconium Titanate (PZT) thin films is presented. The method involves silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer technology together with deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) and highly selective etchants. This study is uni...

This work proposes a novel self-sensing tapping-mode atomic force microscopy operation utilizing charge measurement. A microcantilever coated with a single piezoelectric layer is simultaneously used for actuation and deflection sensing. The cantilever can be batch fabricated with existing micro electro mechanical system processes. The setup enables the omission of the optical beam deflection te...

The ineluctable change to micro and subsequently nano has engendered the need for precision control and actuation. With Piezoelectric technology at the heart, a new type of motor is improving small-scale motion systems in a big way. In the following study a novel design of a travelling-wave-type motor based on flexural excitations (d-15 effect) is analyzed using finite element method. The objec...

Ultrasonic linear piezomotors have several advantages compared to electromagnetic motors in specific applications such as in high-vacuum conditions and where no magnetic field is allowed. These compact directdrive motors are fast, but low speeds and high-resolution positioning are difficult to obtain. On the other hand, several non-resonant piezosteppers were developed, resulting in very accura...

The behaviour of a piezoelectric actuator is strongly affected by the bonding condition along the interface between the actuator and the host structure. The current paper represents an analytical study of the static effect of the mechanical and geometrical properties of the adhesive layer on the coupled electromechanical behaviour of a thin piezoceramic actuator bonded to an elastic medium. An ...

Artificial muscles are man-made materials that try to reproduce the two main characteristics of real muscle fibers, namely, elasticity and contractility. They respond to various external stimulations (ion concentration, electric field, temperature, light etc.) by a significant shape or size change. In addition to classical materials such as piezoelectric ceramics and shape memory alloys, polyme...

In this article, we demonstrate a novel microfluidic flow chamber driven by surface acoustic waves. Our device is a closed loop channel with an integrated acoustic micropump without external fluidic connections that allows for the investigation of small fluid samples in a continuous flow. The fabrication of the channels is particularly simple and uses standard milling and PDMS molding. The micr...