Numerical and experimental demonstration of the Electrical Bragg band gaps in piezoelectric plates with a periodic array of electrodes

Recent analytical and numerical studies have shown that Electrical Bragg band gaps (EBBGs) may occur in piezoelectric plates poled along their thicknesses, with a 1D periodic array of electrodes on their two faces (Fig. 1) [C. Vasseur et al, Proceedings of 2016 IEEE IUS 2016, paper P3-C2-7, 4 pages]. These Bragg band gaps can be opened or closed by changing the electrical boundary conditions on the electrodes. In practice, the gap exists when all electrodes are left floating, and disappears when they are all grounded. In this paper, numerical and experimental results are presented for a finite piezoelectric plate and the concept is extended to a 2D periodic array of electrodes on the top and bottom surfaces of the piezoelectric plate, in order to control the propagation path of the wave.