Radiating head flexure and its effect on transducer performance

The design of low Q underwater sound transducers often results in thin radiating head structures leading to flexural resonances that are close enough to the fundamental resonance to cause noticeable effects on it. An analysis of this flexure is presented along with a simple model that can be incorporated into transducer element and array interaction design programs. Results are presented for a particular case to illustrate the physical effects and the advantages (such as a reduction in the fundamental resonant frequency) and disadvantages (such as reduced performance above resonance) that are a consequence of flexural head motion.