User Toolkit for Reducing Cost and Time in the Design of SONAR Systems Using Relaxor Piezoelectric Single Crystals

This SBIR Proposal addresses the need for a transducer design methodology to reduce the cost and time for inserting into Navy systems transducers based on relaxor piezoelectric single crystals. This goal will be achieved by devising user friendly transducer toolkits to allow sonar systems engineers to readily evaluate transducer types and configurations to meet given system requirements. These toolkits will be of moderate fidelity, yielding preliminary transducer design information forming the basis of more accurate high fidelity models implemented by transducer designers (covered separately under N08-061). Transducers such as Tonpilz, rings, flextensionals, slotted cylinders and benders are used in sonar systems, with Tonpilz the most common because of its use in large arrays. We plan to focus on the Tonpilz transducer during this Phase I program and develop a user toolkit as an example of the many types that will be developed under a Phase II program. This single crystal Tonpilz transducer toolkit will be evaluated through comparison with measured data as well as FEA and high fidelity models. The specific single crystal design will be based on a PZT design currently used in a sonar system. A comparison between the legacy and new single crystal design will be made.