Piezoelectric actuators and method of making same

A piezoelectric ceramic material, comprising:

• a perovskite material of the formula, NaωMαBiβM′γM″δO3±z,
• where M is one or more of K, Rb and Cs;
• M′ is one or more of Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb, Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Th, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu;
• M″ is one or more of Ti, Zr, Hf, Sn, Ge, Mg, Zn, Al, Sc, Ga, Nb, Mo, Sb, Ta and W;
• where z≦0.1;
• 0.9≦δ≦1.1;
• α, β, γ and ω are greater than zero;
• and (α+β+γ+ω) is in the range of about 0.75 to 1.1.

A piezoelectric ceramic material, comprising:

• a single crystal perovskite material of the formula, MαBiβM′γM″δO3±z,
• where M is one or more of Na, K, Rb and Cs;
• M′ is one or more of Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb and La;
• and M″ is one or more of Ti, Zr, Hf Sn, Mg, Zn and Al;
• where z≦0.1;
• 0.9≦δ≦1.1;
• α, β and γ are greater than zero;
• and (α+β+γ) is in the range of about 0.75 to 1.1.

A piezoelectric ceramic material, comprising:

• a perovskite material of the formula, NaωMαBiβM′γM″δO3±z,
• where M is one or more of K, Rb and Cs;
• M′ is one or more of Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb and La;
• M″ is one or more of Ti, Zr, Hf, Sn, Mg, Zn and Al;
• where z≦0.1;
• 0.9≦δ≦1.1;
• α, β, γ and ω are greater than zero;
• and (α+β+γ+ω) is in the range of about 0.75 to 1.1.

A piezoelectric material, comprising:

• a perovskite material having tetragonal crystal symmetry of the formula, MαBiβM′γM″δO3±z,
• where M is one or more of Na, K, Rb and Cs;
• M′ is one or more of Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb, Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Th, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu;
• M″ is one or more of Ti, Zr, Hf, Sn, Ge, Mg, Zn, Al, Sc, Ga, Nb, Mo, Sb, Ta and W;
• where z≦0.1;
• 0.9≦δ≦1.1;
• α, β and γ are greater than zero;
• (α+β+γ) is in the range of about 0.75 to 1.1, and 0.32≦β<0.5,
• the piezoelectric material having an actuation strain of greater than about 0.15% and having a d33 of greater than about 150 pC/N.

A piezoelectric material, comprising:

• a perovskite material having tetragonal crystal symmetry of the formula, NaωMαBiβM′γM″δO3±z,
• where M is one or more of K, Rb and Cs;
• M′ is one or more of Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb, Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Th, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu;
• M″ is one or more of Ti, Zr, Hf, Sn, Ge, Mg, Zn, Al, Sc, Ga, Nb, Mo, Sb, Ta and W;
• where z≦0.1;
• 0.9≦δ≦1.1;
• α, β, γ and ω are greater than zero;
• and (α+β+γ+ω) is in the range of about 0.75 to 1.1.

A piezoelectric material, comprising:

• a perovskite material having tetragonal crystal symmetry of the formula, MαBiβM′γM″δO3±z,
• where M is one or more of Na, K, Rb and Cs, wherein M comprises at least Na;
• M′ is one or more of Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb, Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Th, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu;
• M″ is one or more of Ti, Zr, Hf, Sn, Ge, Mg, Zn, Al, Sc, Ga, Nb, Mo, Sb, Ta and W;
• where z≦0.1;
• α+β+γ+δ<2.0;
• α<β;
• and
• β<0.5.

A single crystal fiber, comprising;

• a perovskite material of the formula, MαBiβM′γM″δO3±z,
• where M is one or more of Na, K, Rb and Cs;
• M′ is one or more of Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb, Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Th, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu;
• M″ is one or more of Ti, Zr, Hf, Sn, Ge, Mg, Zn, Al, Sc, Ga, Nb, Mo, Sb, Ta and W;
• where z≦0.1, 0.9≦δ≦1.1;
• α, β and γ are greater than zero;
• and (α+β+γ) is in the range of about 0.75 to 1.1,
• said material characterized by congruent melting.

A piezoelectric material, comprising:

• a perovskite material of the formula, MαBiβM′γM″δO3±z,
• where M is one or more of Na, K, Rb and Cs;
• M′ is one or more of Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb, Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Th, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu;
• M″ is two or more of Ti, Zr, Hf, Sn, Ge, Mg, Zn, Al, Sc, Ga, Nb, Mo, Sb, Ta and W;
• where z≦0.1;
• 0.9≦δ≦1.1;
• α, β and γ are greater than zero;
• (α+β+γ ) is in the range of about 0.75 to 1.1, and 0.32<β<0.5,
• the piezoelectric material having a d33 of greater than about 200 pC/N.