Controlled composition and crystallographic changes in forming functionally gradient piezoelectric transducers

A method of forming a piezoelectric element having first and second parallel surfaces which include piezoelectric material having a variable functionally gradient d.sub.31 -coefficient comprising coating a block having a uniform concentration of piezoelectric material by the steps of:

• (a) applying a first layer having piezoelectric material with a first chemical composition on a flat surface of the block to provide a different crystallographic structure than the block, by dip coating the first layer from a bath containing an aqueous slurry of piezoelectric material of the first chemical composition;
• (b) sequentially applying one or more layers of piezoelectric material, by dip coating one or more subsequent layers from baths, each containing an aqueous slurry of piezoelectric material of different second chemical compositions of piezoelectric material on the first layer and subsequent layers with the second chemical composition of piezoelectric material also having different crystallographic structures than the block and the subsequently applied layers so as to form the piezoelectric element which has a functionally gradient d.sub.31 -coefficient;
• and
• (c) poling the piezoelectric element in a direction perpendicular to the first and second parallel surfaces such that it will change geometry in response to the applied electric field so that the piezoelectric element is poled in the direction perpendicular to the first and second parallel surfaces and an applied electric field will cause different elongations in the block and subsequently applied layers.