Fabrication of 2-2 Connectivity PZT/Thermoplastic Composites for High Frequency Linear Arrays

An alternate approach for fabricating PZT/polymer composites with 2-2 connectivity with fine scales is described. Thin (less than or equal to 20 micrometers) sintered PZT plates and sheets of a thermoplastic polymer film (less than or equal to 10 micrometers) were bonded together via thermal processing. Stack sintering of tape cast PZT generated the necessary PZT plates, while tape cast polymers were used to control the thermoplastic thickness. Composite blocks were cut to required dimensions for linear arrays, electroded, and poled. Electromechanical properties were measured to evaluate the composites. The significance of this fabrication technique is that it is able to generate 2-2 structures at a scale level unachievable by conventional dice-and-fill fabrication methods