 Piezoelectric transducer

A piezoelectric transducer converts mechanical stress into an electrical signal, or an applied electric field into mechanical deformation, using a piezoelectric material. The two directions enable both acoustic reception and transmission.

An ultrasound element is driven electrically to launch a pulse and then detects returning pressure waves through its generated charge or voltage. Mechanical resonance, electrical loading and acoustic coupling determine its bandwidth and sensitivity. The crystal response is therefore only one part of the complete instrument calibration.