Presented at the COMSOL Users Conference 2006 Birmingham

Beam Characteristics of
Ultrasonic Transducers for
Underwater Marine Use
Graeme McRobbie1, Pablo Marin-Franch2,
and Sandy Cochrane1
1University of Paisley
2Piezo Composite Transducers Ltd

Contents

What is an Ultrasonic Transducer?

Mechanical Characteristics
Electrical Characteristics
Transmit Radiation Pattern
TVR, RVR & Figure of Merit
Conclusion

What is an Ultrasonic Transducer?

Ultrasonic Transducers and in particular
Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Transducers convert one form of energy to another

What is an Ultrasonic Transducer?

Piezo actuators convert electrical energy
to mechanical energy
Piezo sensors convert mechanical energy
into electrical energy
In most cases, the same element can be
used to perform either task

What is an Ultrasonic Transducer?

No Voltage
Apply Voltage
Reverse Voltage

What is an Ultrasonic Transducer?

No Force
Apply Force
Reverse Force

What is an Ultrasonic Transducer?

Applying an a.c.
voltage produces a
sinusoidal change in
the thickness of the
transducer
Conversely, applying
a sinusoidal force
results in an a.c.
signal

What is an Ultrasonic Transducer?

In a typical SONAR
system, the transducer
converts electrical
signals into mechanical
vibrations
This creates a sound
wave that is
transmitted through the
water

What is an Ultrasonic Transducer?

When the sound wave
intercepts one or more
targets within its path,
a portion of the energy
is reflected back to the
transducer as an echo

Mechanical Characteristics
The simplest form of
piezoelectric
transducer is the
ceramic slab where
the signal is applied
between the top and
bottom faces

Mechanical Characteristics
To simulate the mechanical characteristics
of a PZT-5H piezoelectric transducer
(5mm5mm1mm) polarized in the zdirection, a 2D finite element model was
constructed with Comsol Multiphysics
(version 3.2)

Mechanical Characteristics
From the list of
Application Modes
Structural Mechanics
Piezoelectric
Effects Piezo
Plane Stress
Eigenfrequency
analysis was
chosen

Electrical Characteristics
From the list of Application Modes
Structural Mechanics Piezoelectric
Effects Piezo Plane Stress
Frequency Response analysis was
chosen

Electrical Characteristics

Electrical Characteristics
Z = R s2 + X s2
R
= a tan s
Xs
Rp =
Cp =

G=

B=

Rs
Xs
2 f r Z

Rs
Z

X s
Z

Electrical characteristics
may be expressed in terms
of either: the series
resistance and reactance,
(Rs and Xs); or the
equivalent parallel
resistance and capacitance,
(Rp and Cp); or the
conductance and
susceptance (G and B)

Transmit Radiation Pattern

The transmit radiation pattern is
normally measured at the best transmitting
frequency by applying a signal to the
transducer and measuring the signal
received with a hydrophone as the
transducer is being rotated

Transmit Radiation Pattern

From the list of Application Modes
Structural Mechanics Piezoelectric
Effects Piezo Plane Stress
Transient Analysis and COMSOL
Multiphysics PDE Modes Classical
PDEs Wave Equation were selected

Transmit Radiation Pattern

From the Boundary Settings dialogue box,
the base of the transducer was grounded
and a voltage of:

sin( 2 f r t ) * ( t < 1 / f r )
was applied to the upper surface in the
piezo domain

Transmit Radiation Pattern

In the classical PDE domain Neumann
boundary conditions were applied to the
piezo boundaries
n.(P) = v piezo

where vpiezo is the velocity of the piezo

boundary

Transmit Radiation Pattern

Transmit Radiation Pattern

Transmit Radiation Pattern

TVR, RVR & Figure of Merit

From beam propagation plots, it is possible to
construct TVR, RVR & Figure of Merit Plots
The Transmitting Voltage Response (TVR) is the
sound pressure produced in the centre of the
radiated beam pattern at a given distance from
the transducer
The Receiving Voltage Response (RVR) of the
measured transducer is the voltage generated
across its leads by a plane wave of unit acoustic
pressure
The Figure of Merit (the sum of TVR and RVR) is
useful in providing a relative gauge of the
performance of various piezoceramic transducers

TVR, RVR & Figure of Merit

Conclusion
This paper has shown how COMSOL
Multiphysics can be used to model the
characteristics of ultrasonic transducers for
marine use
With finite element analysis it would be possible
to reduce the time taken to develop a
commercial ultrasonic transducer by testing
computationally as opposed to an iterative
prototyping and testing cycle and to gain
additional product knowledge by having a better
understanding of the performance the ultrasonic
transducers