Photostrictive mathematical model of PLZT ceramics: Constitutive modeling and experimental validation

Lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) ceramics can transform the light energy into themechanical energy without electromagnetic noise. The optical and direct driven based on PLZT's photostrictive effect, which is also green driven and non-contact driven, has many advantages in micro-driven and structure vibration control. However the existing constitutive equations of PLZT ceramics do not consider the influence from both light intensity and PLZT ceramic sizes (i.e. length, width and thickness) to photostrictive effect. In this paper, the effect of the light intensity, aspect ratio and the thickness of the PLZT ceramic on the photostrictive strain is researched based on the equivalent electrical model of the PLZT. A new photostrictive mathematical model of PLZT with LED-UV illumination is established. The mathematical model is validated through the photostrictive static experiments of PLZT samples with various sizes and light intensities.