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Full-Text Articles in Physics
Piezoelectric Microfiber Composite Actuators For Morphing Wings, Timothy Usher, Kenneth R. Ulibarri, Gilberto S. Camargo
Piezoelectric Microfiber Composite Actuators For Morphing Wings, Timothy Usher, Kenneth R. Ulibarri, Gilberto S. Camargo
Physics Faculty Publications
Morphing wing technologies provide expanded functionality in piloted and robotic aircraft, extending particular vehicle mission parameters as well as increasing the role of aviation in both military and civilian applications. However, realizing control surfaces that do not void the benefits of morphing wings presents challenges that can be addressed with microfiber composite actuators (MFCs). We present two approaches for realizing control surfaces. In one approach, flap-like structures are formed by bonding MFCs to each side of a metal substrate. In the other approach, MFCs are bonded directly to the wing. Counter intuitively, the flap approach resulted in larger voltage actuation …
Chiral Magnetization Configurations In Magnetic Nanostructures In The Presence Of Dzyaloshinski-Moriya Interactions, Naoise Grisewood, John Eves, Timothy Usher, Hans-Benjamin Braun
Chiral Magnetization Configurations In Magnetic Nanostructures In The Presence Of Dzyaloshinski-Moriya Interactions, Naoise Grisewood, John Eves, Timothy Usher, Hans-Benjamin Braun
Physics Faculty Publications
Many low-dimensional systems, such as nanoscale islands, thin films, and multilayers, as well as bulk systems, such as multiferroics, are characterized by the lack of inversion symmetry, a fact that may give rise to a Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction. For sufficient strength, the DM interaction will favor spiral spin configurations of definite chirality. In order to harness such systems for applications, it is important to understand the conditions under which these spiral spin configurations form and how they can be controlled via an external field. Here, we present exact solutions of the 1D magnetization profiles in such systems for arbitrary material …
Nonlinear Dynamics Of Piezoelectric High Displacement Actuators In Cantilever Mode, Timothy Usher, Alec Sim
Nonlinear Dynamics Of Piezoelectric High Displacement Actuators In Cantilever Mode, Timothy Usher, Alec Sim
Physics Faculty Publications
Experimental results of the nonlinear dynamic response of a piezoelectric high displacement actuator known as thin-layer composite unimorph ferroelectric driver and sensor were compared to a theoretical model, which utilizes the multiple scales method to connect the effective spring constant to higher-order stiffness constants c4 of the piezoelectric layer. This type of actuator has prestress gradients resulting from the manufacturing process that have been reported to play an important role in enhanced actuation. A value of c4=−4.7x1020 N/m2 was obtained for the higher-order lead zirconate titanate (PZT) stiffness coefficient, which is higher than other published results …