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Micromachines
Special Issues
Design and Applications of Smart Piezoelectric Sensors and Actuators
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Design and Applications of Smart Piezoelectric Sensors and Actuators

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "A：Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2026) | Viewed by 866

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jianhua Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices; sensors; actuators; magnetic field sensors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jian He

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Science and Technology on Electronic Test and Measurement Laboratory, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
Interests: energy harvesting; nanogenerators; human–computer interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pioneered by groundbreaking research in shock-resistant MEMS, this Special Issue of Micromachines delves into intelligent sensing technologies at the crossroads of piezoelectric materials and microelectromechanical systems (MEMSs) for extreme environments. Despite energy-autonomous sensors being capable of withstanding harsh conditions—such as high-intensity mechanical shocks, thermal fluctuations, and corrosive media—key challenges remain in maintaining signal stability, structural durability, and seamless system integration.

This Special Issue highlights cutting-edge advancements in piezoelectric MEMS, spanning novel material synthesis (e.g., lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires), resonant device optimization (e.g., cantilever-based frequency tuners and thin-film bulk acoustic wave (FBAR) sensors), and reliable integration/packaging solutions for harsh environments. It also explores emerging applications in aerospace diagnostics, industrial condition monitoring, and biomedical implantables, addressing the critical need for self-powered, high-reliability sensing solutions in sectors where traditional sensors fail.

Prof. Dr. Jianhua Li
Prof. Dr. Jian He
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • piezoelectric
  • MEMS
  • energy harvesting
  • sensors, actuators, and resonators
  • magnetic sensors

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 6178 KB  
Article
Design and Modeling of Piezoelectric Nanofilm Actuators for Low-Voltage Powered Microrobots
by Jingxian Lin, Ze Chen and Qingkun Liu
Micromachines 2026, 17(4), 434; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17040434 - 31 Mar 2026
Viewed by 508
Abstract
Piezoelectric actuators are essential for sub-millimeter robots and reconfigurable microstructures owing to their advantages, including the ability to operate in air and high-speed response. However, the substantial performance degradation observed in piezoelectric actuators with sub-micrometer thickness poses a critical challenge for the design [...] Read more.
Piezoelectric actuators are essential for sub-millimeter robots and reconfigurable microstructures owing to their advantages, including the ability to operate in air and high-speed response. However, the substantial performance degradation observed in piezoelectric actuators with sub-micrometer thickness poses a critical challenge for the design of low-voltage microactuators capable of achieving large bending curvature. Here we develop a coupled analytical–numerical framework for designing multilayer lead zirconate titanate (PZT) nanofilm microactuators under a low voltage constraint (≤5 V). An analytical multilayer beam model is extended to incorporate thickness-dependent material properties and an interfacial dead layer that reduces the effective electric field at small thicknesses. This enables rapid exploration of curvature and the neutral-axis position as functions of the thicknesses of PZT, electrodes, and the dielectric layer. Two- and three-dimensional finite-element simulations provide complementary predictions of neutral-axis location, voltage-dependent curvature response, and eigenmode shapes. The resulting design maps reveal a non-monotonic optimum for PZT thickness in the few-hundred-nanometer range to maximize the curvature change at low voltages and identify ultrathin top electrodes as a key design lever that enhances bending by reducing parasitic stiffness while shifting the neutral axis favorably. These findings offer quantitative guidelines for designing low-voltage, high-curvature piezoelectric microactuators for microrobotic systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Applications of Smart Piezoelectric Sensors and Actuators)
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