Piezoelectricity

Piezoelectricity is the ability of certain crystals to generate a voltage in response to applied mechanical stress. The word is derived from the Greek piezein, which means to squeeze or press. The effect is reversible; piezoelectric crystals, subject to an externally applied voltage, can change shape by a small amount. The effect is of the order of nanometres, but nevertheless finds useful applications such as the production and detection of sound, generation of high voltages, electronic frequency generation, and ultrafine focusing of optical assemblies.

Related Topics:
Crystal - Voltage - Stress - Greek - Nanometre

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