Quartz resonators operating with slow shear modes driven by lateral electric fields produced by surface electrodes

Slow thickness shear vibrations in AT-cut quartz plates driven by a lateral electric field produced by surface electrodes are analyzed theoretically. Mindlin's first-order theory of piezoelectric plates is used. Through an electrically forced vibration analysis, the motional capacitance and mode shapes near resonances are obtained. The effects of the electrode gap, the electrode/plate mass ratio R and the electrode size on energy trapping are examined. The results can provide important bases for the parameters design of new resonators operating with the slow shear mode with new excitation schemes.