Piezoelectric composite apparatus and a method for fabricating the same

Abstract

A method for fabricating a piezoelectric fiber sheet comprises providing a plurality of wafers of piezoelectric material, bonding the wafers together with an adhesive material to form a stack of alternating layers of piezoelectric material and adhesive material, and cutting through the stack in a direction substantially parallel to the thickness of the stack and across the alternating layers of piezoelectric material and adhesive material to provide at least one piezoelectric fiber sheet having two sides comprising a plurality of piezoelectric fibers in juxtaposition to the adhesive material.

1 . A method of fabricating a plurality of piezoelectric fibers, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plurality of wafers of piezoelectric material;    bonding the wafers together with an adhesive material between each wafer to form a stack of alternating layers of piezoelectric material and adhesive material, the stack having a thickness; and    cutting through the stack in a direction substantially parallel to the thickness of the stack and across the alternating layers of piezoelectric material and adhesive material to provide at least one piezoelectric fiber sheet comprising a plurality of piezoelectric fibers in juxtaposition to the adhesive material.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the wafer of piezoelectric material comprises a monolithic piezoelectric material.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein each piezoelectric fiber has a substantially rectangular cross-section.  
   
   
       4 . A plurality of piezoelectric fibers made by a process comprising: 
 providing a plurality of wafers of piezoelectric material;    bonding the wafers together with an adhesive material between each wafer to form a stack of alternating layers of piezoelectric material and adhesive material, the stack having a thickness; and    cutting through the stack in a direction substantially parallel to the thickness of the stack and across the alternating layers of piezoelectric material and adhesive material to provide at least one piezoelectric fiber sheet.    
   
   
       5 . The plurality of piezoelectric fibers according to  claim 4  wherein the wafer of piezoelectric material comprises a monolithic piezoelectric material.  
   
   
       6 . The plurality of piezoelectric fibers according to  claim 4  wherein each piezoelectric fiber has a substantially rectangular cross-section.