The constituent equations of piezoelectric
bimorphs, Sensors and Actuators A, 28: 41-61.
As a consequence, the
bimorph bends to relieve some of this strain, allowing one layer to stretch out longer than the other.
Cantilever-type piezoelectric BEHs [59] used piezoelectric
bimorph material to extract the energy for bridge's health monitoring system.
Behind the fixed bluff body, a piezoelectric
bimorph cantilever was attached instead of flexible membrane or polymer, in such a way that the cantilever would only deform in the first vibration mode, unlike in the case of the membrane or polymer where undulating waves were generated along the length.
Scanning electron micrographs (SEMs) of a MEMS cantilever with an optomechanical readout and integrated (a) electrostatic fringe-field actuation and (b) thermal
bimorph actuation.
Guo, "Modeling of a three-layer piezoelectric
bimorph beam with hysteresis," Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, vol.
Wu and his colleagues fabricated their micro-muscle on a silicon substrate from a long "V-shaped"
bimorph ribbon comprised of chromium and vanadium dioxide.
A new type of MEMS-based pyroelectric generator invented at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and shown in Figure 3 alternately heats and cools a
bimorph cantilever causing it to bend in one direction and then in the other.
The team reported that their careful fabrication allowed a displacement of 36 [micro]m for a 60-[micro]m
bimorph (a displacement-to-length ratio of 0.6), and as much as 73 [micro]m for an 80-[micro]m
bimorph (a ratio of approximately 0.9).
Available in three different ranges for 5, 10 and 50 g, it incorporates a
bimorph piezoceramic sensing element, with internal Piezotron charge converter matching most current front end systems with constant current line drive capability.