Shear piezoelectric properties of a vinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene copolymer [P(VDF/TrFE)] have been studied in a temperature range from 10 to 350 K. The shear electromechanical coupling factorsk15andk24at 290 K are found to be 0.19 and 0.20, respectively, the values being largest among the piezoelectric polymers known at present. The factorsk15andk24remain constant below 200 K, whilek24increases andk15decreases above 200 K. The effectiveness of P(VDF/TrFE) as a transverse ultrasonic transducer material was demonstrated by measurements of transverse sound velocities and absorptions in aluminum and poly(methyl methacrylate) with P(VDF/TrFE) shear transducers. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.