Patent ID: 7437817

Claim:
A process for fabricating a ceramic electroactive transducer of a predetermined shape comprising the steps of: (a) providing a suitably shaped core having an outer surface; (b) attaching a first conductor to said outer surface of said core; (c) coating a first inner conductive electrode on said outer surface of said core such that said first inner conductive electrode is in electrical communication with said first conductor; (d) coating a first ceramic layer having an outer surface on said first inner electrode; thereafter (e) attaching a second conductor to said outer surface of said first ceramic layer; (f) coating a second inner conductive electrode on said outer surface of said first ceramic layer such that said second inner conductive electrode is in electrical communication with said second conductor without being in electrical communication with said first conductor; (g) coating a second ceramic layer having an outer surface on said second inner electrode; thereafter (h) sintering said first and said second ceramic layers; (i) coating an outer electrode on said second sintered ceramic layer to produce an outer electrode that is not in electrical communication with said first conductor or with said second conductor; (j) poling said first and said second sintered ceramic layers across said first inner electrode, said second inner electrode, and said outer electrode; and (k) adding a plurality of additional conductors, electrodes, and ceramic layers prior to said sintering step.