Nondestructive Evaluation of Ferroelectric Multilayer Capacitors Using Electromechanical Resonances

Under the mechanically free and clamped boundary conditions, electromechanical resonances of ceramic multilayer capacitors are calculated using vibration and piezoelectric equations. Multilayer capacitors made of ferroelectric BaTiO3 and Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 ceramics have been used to examine the theoretical calculation. Frequency spectra of impedance and phase angle, capacitance and loss tangent of the capacitors under dc bias fields are carefully measured. A sudden change around the resonant frequency is observed in these spectra. A damped resonance indicates a defective capacitor while an undamped resonance is corresponding to defect free.Experimental results suggest that it is possible to use the spectra as a real time nondestructive evaluation method.