Composite piezoelectric apparatus and method

1. A composite piezoelectric apparatus comprising:

a sacrificial base comprising a first composite piezoelectric material, said first composite piezoelectric material having a first volume percent of first piezoelectric material; and

a pillar array having a plurality of pillars, each pillar having a second composite piezoelectric material, said second composite piezoelectric material having a second volume percent of second piezoelectric material, wherein said first volume percent is lower than said second volume percent,; and said sacrificial base is removably held directly to a surface of said pillar array.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first volume percent is about 30–40%.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said second volume percent is about 50%–65%.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said second volume percent is about 60%–65%.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first and second piezoelectric materials comprise lead zirconate titanate (PZT).

6. A method of manufacturing a composite piezoelectric transducer from a sacrificial base and pillar array, comprising:

molding the sacrificial base with a first slip, said first slip comprising a first composite piezoelectric material, said first composite piezoelectric material having a first volume percent of first piezoelectric material; and

molding the pillar array with a second slip, said second slip having a second composite piezoelectric material, said second composite piezoelectric material having a second volume percent of second piezoelectric material, wherein said first volume percent is lower than said second volume percent, whereby, said sacrificial base can be easily removed from the pillar array after the molded base and pillar array are sintered in the manufacture of the composite piezoelectric transducer.

7. A composite piezoelectric transducer made by the process of claim 6 .

8. A method of manufacturing a composite piezoelectric transducer from a sacrificial base and pillar array, comprising:

molding the sacrificial base with a first slip, said first slip comprising a first composite piezoelectric material, said first composite piezoelectric material having a first volume percent of first piezoelectric material

molding the pillar array with a second slip, said second slip having a second composite piezoelectric material, said second composite piezoelectric material having a second volume percent of second piezoelectric material, wherein the pillars each have longitudinal sides and two end sides;

inserting interstitial material around the longitudinal sides of the pillars of said pillar array; and

forming air pockets on one end side of pillars of said pillar array within the composite piezoelectric transducer, wherein said first volume percent is lower than said second volume percent, whereby, said sacrificial base can be easily removed from the pillar array after the molded base and pillar array are sintered in the manufacture of the composite piezoelectric transducer.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said air pockets forming step comprises:

lithographically etching a photoresistive substrate to form etched pits at positions corresponding to pillar positions; and

positioning said etched substrate such that said pits are opposite the one end side of the pillars to form the air pockets within the composite piezoelectric transducer.

10. A composite piezoelectric transducer stack comprising:

a pillar array having pillar regions made up of piezoelectric material and separated by interstitial material;

element electrodes coupled to pillars in said pillar array; and

a photoresistive substrate having etched pits opposite one end side of the pillars to form air pockets within the composite piezoelectric transducer.