BNT-based multilayer device with large and temperature independent strain made by a water-based preparation process

A piezoelectric multilayer device based on bismuth-sodium-titanate ceramics (BNT) co-fired with Ag/Pd inner electrodes is described and its dielectric and piezoelectric properties are measured. The ceramic powder and tape was made by a water-based preparation process. After printing with Ag/Pd paste for inner electrodes these tapes were stacked to a multilayer device with 50 active layers. This device exhibited a large and temperature independent strain around 0.19% between 25 °C and 150 °C. The large strain is due to a field-induced phase transition. The low temperature dependence results from the broadening of the nonpolar phase by doping.