What Is a Piezoelectric Transducer?
A piezoelectric transducer is a device which transforms one type of energy to another by taking advantage of the piezoelectric properties of certain crystals or other materials. When a piezoelectric material is subjected to stress or force, it generates an electrical potential or voltage proportional to the magnitude of the force. This makes the piezoelectric transducer ideal as a converter of mechanical energy or force into electric potential. The high sensitivity of the piezoelectric transducer makes it useful in microphones, where it converts sound pressure into electric voltage; in precision balances; in accelerometers and motion detectors; and as generators and detectors of ultrasound. Piezoelectric transducers are also used in non-destructive testing, in the generation of high voltages, and in many other applications requiring the precise sensing of motion or force.
