Ilene J. Busch-Vishniac
Mech. Eng. Dept., The University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712
While acoustical transducers such as microphones and loudspeakers have
changed dramatically over the years, the fundamental mechanisms upon which they
are based have remained the same. In this tutorial focus is on the underlying
principles of electrochemical transduction. The session will begin with a brief
presentation of an energetically consistent way to view transducers. Next this
approach will be used in describing a variety of transduction mechanisms
including, but not limited to, piezoelectricity, electrostriction,
magnetostriction, linear magnetic transduction, and piezoresistivity.
Advantages and disadvantages of each approach to transduction and examples of
transducers using each transduction mechanism will be discussed. Finally, some
topics on the frontiers of transduction research, such as solid state sensors,
will be touched upon.