Piezoelectric effect
If a force acts on a piezoelectric crystal, a shift in electrical charges takes place in the crystal. These very small charges are picked up at the electrodes and transformed into a measuring signal in a highly sensitive charge amplifier. Piezoelectric sensors are characterized by extremely fast response times and are suitable for measuring highly dynamic forces. In comparison to strain gage-based sensors, piezoelectric receivers can be used at significantly higher temperatures. A further advantage is that very large and very small forces can be measured using one sensor. A disadvantage of piezoelectric technology is that the generated charges are dissipated by extremely small leakage currents. This requires cyclical zeroing of the measurement, which is not necessary in the case of strain gage-based sensors.