Measurement of piezoelectric parameters versus bias field strength in polyvinylidene fluoride (PVF2)

Abstract

Piezoelectric polymers, such as PVF₂, being light and flexible, are attractive new materials for transducers. A new all‐electrical meaurement method for piezoelectric parameters of PVF₂ has been developed. Moreover, the method permits application of a variable bias field going to high values in addition to the small alternating field used for measurement. By using this technique, it has been found that linear performance extends to a very high electric field (30 V/μm) without degradation. This technique is also used to study the behavior of d₃₁ under a range of dc field strengths. Finally, the method is used to investigated various procedures for poling PVF₂.