Stepped piezoelectric actuator

1. A bender beam actuator comprising:

a first multimorph comprising:

a first layer of piezoelectric material; and

a second layer of piezoelectric material overlying a portion of the first layer of piezoelectric material, wherein a length of the first layer of piezoelectric material is at least 2% greater than a length of the second layer of piezoelectric material; and

a second multimorph comprising:

a third layer of piezoelectric material; and

a fourth layer of piezoelectric material overlying a portion of the third layer of piezoelectric material,

wherein a length of the third layer of piezoelectric material is equal to the length of the first layer of piezoelectric material, the length of the fourth layer of piezoelectric material is equal to the length of the second layer of piezoelectric material, the third layer of piezoelectric material overlies the first layer of piezoelectric material on a side opposite the second layer of piezoelectric material, and the third layer of piezoelectric material is in direct contact with the first layer of piezoelectric material.

2. The bender beam actuator of claim 1 , wherein a width of the first layer of piezoelectric material is substantially equal to a width of the second layer of piezoelectric material.

3. The bender beam actuator of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first layer of piezoelectric material and the second layer of piezoelectric material comprises a poled piezoelectric material.

4. The bender beam actuator of claim 1 , further comprising an electrode disposed between the first layer of piezoelectric material and the second layer of piezoelectric material.

5. The bender beam actuator of claim 1 , wherein the first layer of piezoelectric material and the second layer of piezoelectric material each have a thickness of approximately 10 nm to approximately 100 μm.

6. The bender beam actuator of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the first layer of piezoelectric material is substantially equal to a thickness of the second layer of piezoelectric material.

7. The bender beam actuator of claim 1 , wherein each of the first layer of piezoelectric material and the second layer of piezoelectric material comprises a ceramic composition selected from the group consisting of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), bismuth ferrite, barium titanate, bismuth titanate, potassium sodium niobate (KNN), barium titanate, and lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate.

8. The bender beam actuator of claim 1 , wherein the first layer of piezoelectric material and the second layer of piezoelectric material form a step along a length direction, and a layer of high modulus material is disposed within the step.

9. The bender beam actuator of claim 8 , wherein the high modulus material comprises a ceramic particle-filled polymer, a glass particle-filled polymer, or a fiber-filled polymer.

10. The bender beam actuator of claim 1 , wherein the first layer of piezoelectric material and the second layer of piezoelectric material overlap at a base end of the actuator, and a thickness of the actuator at the base end is at least 10% greater than a thickness at a distal end opposite the base end.

11. The bender beam actuator of claim 10 , having a total tip displacement greater than or equal to the thickness at the base end.

12. A bender beam actuator comprising:

a first multimorph comprising:

a primary electrode;

a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode;

a first layer of piezoelectric material disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode; and

a second layer of piezoelectric material disposed over the secondary electrode opposite to the first layer of piezoelectric material, wherein a length of the first layer of piezoelectric material is at least 2% greater than a length of the second layer of piezoelectric material; and

a second multimorph comprising:

another primary electrode;

another secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the other primary electrode;

a third layer of piezoelectric material disposed between and abutting the other primary electrode and the other secondary electrode; and

a fourth layer of piezoelectric material disposed over the other secondary electrode opposite to the third layer of piezoelectric material,

wherein a length of the third layer of piezoelectric material is equal to the length of the first layer of piezoelectric material, the length of the fourth layer of piezoelectric material is equal to the length of the second layer of piezoelectric material, the third layer of piezoelectric material overlies the first layer of piezoelectric material on a side opposite the second layer of piezoelectric material, and the third layer of piezoelectric material is in direct contact with the first layer of piezoelectric material.

13. The bender beam actuator of claim 12 , wherein a width of the first layer of piezoelectric material is substantially equal to a width of the second layer of piezoelectric material.

14. The bender beam actuator of claim 12 , further comprising a tertiary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the secondary electrode.

15. The bender beam actuator of claim 14 , further comprising a fifth layer of piezoelectric material disposed over the tertiary electrode opposite to the second layer of piezoelectric material, wherein a length of the second layer of piezoelectric material is at least 2% greater than a length of the fifth layer of piezoelectric material.

16. A method comprising:

forming a first multimorph at least in part by:

forming a first layer of piezoelectric material; and

forming a second layer of piezoelectric material over the first layer of piezoelectric material to form a composite structure, wherein a length of the first layer of piezoelectric material is at least 2% greater than a length of the second layer of piezoelectric material; and

forming a second multimorph at least in part by:

forming a third layer of piezoelectric material; and

forming a fourth layer of piezoelectric material over the third layer of piezoelectric material to form a composite structure,

wherein a length of the third layer of piezoelectric material is equal to the length of the first layer of piezoelectric material, the length of the fourth layer of piezoelectric material is equal to the length of the second layer of piezoelectric material, the third layer of piezoelectric material overlies the first layer of piezoelectric material on a side opposite the second layer of piezoelectric material, and the third layer of piezoelectric material is in direct contact with the first layer of piezoelectric material.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising forming an electrode over the first layer of piezoelectric material prior to forming the second layer of piezoelectric material.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the electrode is formed directly over the first layer of piezoelectric material and the second layer of piezoelectric material is formed directly over the electrode.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising heating and applying pressure to the composite structure within a mold.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the mold comprises a lower portion and a mating upper portion and at least one of the lower portion and the upper portion comprises a plurality of independently moveable components.