page_title: Piezoelectric accelerometer
section_title: Introduction
hierarchical_section_title: Piezoelectric accelerometer / Introduction
caption_attribution_description: Polski: Przekrój akcelerometru piezoelektrycznego English: Piezoelectric Accelerometer cross section
context_page_description: A piezoelectric accelerometer is an accelerometer that employs the piezoelectric effect of certain materials to measure dynamic changes in mechanical variables.
  As with all transducers, piezoelectric convert one form of energy into another and provide an electrical signal in response to a quantity, property, or condition that is being measured. Using the general sensing method upon which all accelerometers are based, acceleration acts upon a seismic mass that is restrained by a spring or suspended on a cantilever beam, and converts a physical force into an electrical signal. Before the acceleration can be converted into an electrical quantity it must first be converted into either a force or displacement. This conversion is done via the mass spring system shown in the figure to the right.
context_section_description: The word piezoelectric finds its roots in the Greek word piezein, which means to squeeze or press.  When a physical force is exerted on the accelerometer, the seismic mass loads the piezoelectric element according to Newton's second law of motion ().  The force exerted on the piezoelectric material can be observed in the change in the electrostatic force or voltage generated by the piezoelectric material.  This differs from a piezoresistive effect in that piezoresistive materials experience a change in the resistance of the material rather than a change in charge or voltage.  Physical force exerted on the piezoelectric can be classified as one of two types; bending or compression.  Stress of the compression type can be understood as a force exerted to one side of the piezoelectric while the opposing side rests against a fixed surface, while bending involves a force being exerted on the piezoelectric from both sides. 
  Piezoelectric materials used for the purpose of accelerometers fall into two categories: single crystal and ceramic materials.   The first and more widely used are single-crystal materials (usually quartz).  Though these materials do offer a long life span in terms of sensitivity, their disadvantage is that they are generally less sensitive than some piezoelectric ceramics. The other category, ceramic materials, have a higher piezoelectric constant (sensitivity) than single-crystal materials, and are less expensive to produce. Ceramics use barium titanate, lead-zirconate-lead-titanate, lead metaniobate, and other materials whose composition is considered proprietary by the company responsible for their development.  The disadvantage of piezoelectric ceramics, however, is that their sensitivity degrades with time making the longevity of the device less than that of single-crystal materials.
  In applications when low sensitivity piezoelectrics are used, two or more crystals can be connected together for output multiplication.  The proper material can be chosen for particular applications based on the sensitivity, frequency response, bulk-resistivity, and thermal response.  Due to the low output signal and high output impedance that piezoelectric accelerometers possess, there is a need for amplification and impedance conversion of the signal produced.  In the past this problem has been solved using a separate (external) amplifier/impedance converter.  This method, however, is generally impractical due to the noise that is introduced as well as the physical and environmental constraints posed on the system as a result.  Today IC amplifiers/impedance converters are commercially available and are generally packaged within the case of the accelerometer itself.
caption: The cross-section of a piezoelectric accelerometer.
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