Fabrication and characterization of lead lanthanum zirconate titanate ceramic-based fully transparent piezoelectric loudspeakers for next-generation electronic devices

Abstract

Transparency is a critical attribute of next-generation electronic devices; this ensures unobstructed visibility while maintaining device functionality. Traditional electromagnetic coils are opaque, and piezoelectric materials with high optical transparency, low power consumption, and rapid responses are required when preparing innovative transparent electronics. In this study, we developed lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) ceramics with excellent transparency (PLZT S1 = 65 %, PLZT S2 = 42 % at 550 nm) and piezoelectric properties (PLZT S1 = 180 pC/N, PLZT S2 = 470 pC/N). An indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated PLZT ceramic (PLZT S2) was used to create a fully transparent transducer with a glass diaphragm. This delivered outstanding sound output, attaining 105 dB at the resonance frequency (5.6 kHz) at an input of only 5 Vpp. To demonstrate the versatility of PLZT in terms of transparent electronic applications, PLZT transducers were placed on a desiccator wall; this showcased their capacity to emit a warning sound without compromising visibility when gas leaked inside the desiccator. An ITO-coated PLZT disc was employed to fabricate a loudspeaker with a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) diaphragm; this produced sounds from 30 dB to 68 dB across the entire voice frequency spectrum (500 Hz–8 kHz) with an input of 10 Vpp. This loudspeaker meets the demands of next-generation transparent electronics; optical visibility and high-quality sound reproduction are assured without any compromise in terms of sound quality or visual transparency. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.