An imaging device includes a two dimensional array of piezoelectric elements. Each piezoelectric element includes: a piezoelectric layer; a bottom electrode disposed on a bottom side of the piezoelectric layer and configured to receive a transmit signal during a transmit mode and develop an electrical charge during a receive mode; and a first top electrode disposed on a top side of the piezoelectric layer; and a first conductor, wherein the first top electrodes of a portion of the piezoelectric elements in a first column of the two dimensional array are electrically coupled to the first conductor.

Provided in accordance with the herein described exemplary embodiments are piezo micro-machined ultrasonic transducers (pMUTs) each having a first electrode that includes a first electrode portion and a second electrode portion. The second electrode portion is separately operable from the first electrode portion. A second electrode is spaced apart from the first electrode and defines a space between the first electrode and the second electrode. A piezoelectric material is disposed in the space. Also provided are arrays of pMUTs wherein individual pMUTs have first electrode portions operably associated with array rows and second electrode portions operably associated with array columns.

A bioFET device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and an opposite, parallel second surface and a plurality of bioFET sensors on the semiconductor substrate. Each of the bioFET sensors includes a gate formed on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and a channel region formed within the semiconductor substrate beneath the gate and between source/drain (S/D) regions in the semiconductor substrate. The channel region includes a portion of the second surface of the semiconductor substrate. An isolation layer is disposed on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate. The isolation layer has an opening positioned over the channel region of more than one bioFET sensor of the plurality of bioFET sensors. An interface layer is disposed on the channel region of the more than one bioFET sensor in the opening.

A piezoelectric adaptive mesh includes multiple piezoelectric fibers that include piezoelectric structures that can act as sensor and/or actuators to enhance a person's comfort. The piezoelectric structures communicate with a controller and/or a software processing system and may identify the position of a user and make adjustments through the actuators to increase user comfort by providing support, assistance, treatment, and/or temperature adjustment.

A MEMS device includes a piezoelectric layer made of a piezoelectric single crystal, a first electrode on a first surface of the piezoelectric layer, and a first layer covering the first surface of the piezoelectric layer. At least a portion of the piezoelectric layer is included in a membrane portion. The first electrode is covered with the first layer and includes a recess. The piezoelectric layer includes a through hole that passes through the piezoelectric layer between a surface of the piezoelectric layer, which is opposite to the first direction, and the recess at a position corresponding to at least a portion of the first electrode.

A manufacturing method of a piezoelectric element includes: forming a first conductive film on a vibration plate as a substrate; etching a first conductive film; forming a second conductive film on the first conductive film; etching the second conductive film to form a first electrode having a step region as a step formed by the second conductive film and the first conductive film at ends thereof; forming a seed layer as an orientation control layer covering the first electrode by a liquid phase method; forming a piezoelectric film on the seed layer; etching the piezoelectric film to form a piezoelectric body; and forming a second electrode covering the piezoelectric body.

There is disclosed a transducer and a method for generating the transducer. The transducer is formed on a substrate layer. The transducer includes a first electrode layer, a first piezoelectric layer on the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer on the first piezoelectric layer. The first electrode layer is connected to a first electrical connector and the second electrode layer is connected to a second electrical connector. The transducer can be configured to act as an acoustic sensor or an electric potential sensor.

A ferroelectric material includes a mixed crystal having AlN and at least one nitride of a transition metal. The proportion of the nitride of the transition metal is selected such that a direction of an initial or spontaneous polarity of the ferroelectric material is switchable by applying a switchover voltage. The switchover voltage is below a breakdown voltage of the ferroelectric material.

A piezoelectric element includes a support and a vibration unit disposed on the support. The vibration unit includes a piezoelectric film and an electrode film connected to the piezoelectric film to extract charges generated by deformation of the piezoelectric film. The vibration unit has a support region supported on the support, and a vibration region connected to the support region and floating from the support. The vibration unit outputs a pressure detection signal based on the charges. The vibration region includes a plurality of slits extending from a support region side toward a center of the vibration region and is in a state of being supported at both ends with respect to the support region.

SMA actuators and related methods are described. One embodiment of an actuator includes a base; a plurality of buckle arms; and at least a first shape memory alloy wire coupled with a pair of buckle arms of the plurality of buckle arms. Another embodiment of an actuator includes a base and at least one bimorph actuator including a shape memory alloy material. The bimorph actuator attached to the base.