Stress effects on electric currents in antiplane problems of piezoelectric semiconductors over a rectangular domain

We study stress-induced electric potential and mobile charge distributions in antiplane deformations of piezoelectric semiconductors. The macroscopic theory of piezoelectric semiconductors is used. A double trigonometric series solution is obtained for the linearized problem over a rectangular domain, showing the formation of electric potential barriers or wells under local mechanical loads. A nonlinear numerical analysis is performed using COMSOL to obtain the current–voltage relation and the current density distribution. Results show that the stress-induced potential barriers/wells affect the electric current distributions and current–voltage relation. Thus, mechanical loads affect the semiconduction in the body, which is the foundation of piezotronic devices made from piezoelectric semiconductors. The effects of various physical and geometric parameters are examined.