Flexible High-Frequency Underwater Transducer Based on Piezoelectric Composites

In this study, a flexible, lightweight high-frequency underwater transducer (FT) was designed and fabricated. To ensure the flexibility and reliability of the transducer, a flexible piezoelectric composite material with a same-side electrode configuration and a perforated flexible printed circuit (FPC) were designed. First, finite element simulation analysis was performed on the flexible piezoelectric composites to optimize the structural parameters. Next, using a cutting and infusion method combined with reflow soldering, the piezoelectric composites and FPC were integrated to form a flexible sensing element. Finally, a flexible packaging process for the underwater transducer was investigated, resulting in a flexible underwater transducer with a thickness of only 5.3 mm. The results of underwater electroacoustic comparison tests show that the transmission and reception performance of the FT differs by less than 0.5 dB from that of conventional rigid transducers. This demonstrates that the flexible underwater transducer developed in this study not only possesses the advantages of flexibility and can be conformally mounted on curved surfaces but also achieves acoustic performance comparable to that of traditional rigid transducers, thereby providing new insights for the lightweight development of underwater transducers.