To easily form an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic inspection apparatus capable of sending ultrasonic waves having frequencies equal to or more than 200 MHz. In view of this, an ultrasonic probe includes a stacked piezoelectric element configuring an ultrasonic probe includes a stacked piezoelectric element in which a stacked piezoelectric film disposed between a lower electrode and an upper electrode. The stacked piezoelectric film includes a ZnO film that has spontaneous polarization in a direction substantially perpendicular to the film surface and a SLAIN film that is different from the ZnO and that has spontaneous polarization in the opposite direction to the ZnO, the SLAIN film being directly formed on the ZnO film.

A semiconductor device comprising a passive magnetoelectric transducer structure adapted for generating a charge via mechanical stress caused by a magnetic field. The first transducer structure has a first terminal electrically connectable to the control terminal of an electrical switch, and having a second terminal electrically connectable to the first terminal of the electrical switch for providing a control signal for opening/closing the switch. The switch may be a FET. A passive magnetic switch using a magnetoelectric transducer structure. Use of a passive magnetoelectric transducer structure for opening or closing a switch without the need for an external power supply.

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for microspeaker devices. In one aspect, a microspeaker element may include a deformable dielectric membrane that spans a speaker cavity. The deformable dielectric membrane can include a piezoactuator and a dielectric layer. Upon application of a driving signal to the piezoactuator, the dielectric layer can deflect, producing sound. In some implementations, an array of microspeaker elements can be encapsulated between a glass substrate and a cover glass. Sound generated by the microspeaker elements can be emitted through a speaker grill formed in the cover glass.

Provided herein is a method including bonding a first oxide layer on a handle substrate to a second oxide layer on a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), wherein the fusion bonding forms a unified oxide layer including a diaphragm overlying a cavity on the CMOS. The handle substrate is removed leaving the unified oxide layer. A piezoelectric film stack is deposited over the unified oxide layer. Vias are formed in the piezoelectric film stack and the unified oxide layer. An electrical contact layer is deposited, wherein the electrical contact layer electrically connects the piezoelectric film stack to an electrode on the CMOS.

The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating an ultrasound transducer. A substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side is provided. A bottom electrode is formed over the first side of the substrate. A piezoelectric element is formed over the bottom electrode. The piezoelectric element has a chamfered sidewall. A top electrode is formed over the piezoelectric element. A step metal element is formed over a portion of the top electrode proximate to the chamfered sidewall of the piezoelectric element.

A method includes placing a device having a titanium nitride layer into a chamber. The device also has a mask that includes a photoresist material and an aluminum copper hardmask. The method also includes performing an ashing process on the mask using the chamber. The method further includes, after the ashing process, performing an etching process using the chamber to etch through portions of the titanium nitride layer. Performing the etching process includes flowing a gas mixture containing tetrafluoromethane (CF.sub.4) and oxygen gas (O.sub.2) into the chamber at a temperature of at least about 200? C.

A rectangular quartz crystal blank having long sides substantially parallel to a Z axis of the quartz crystal blank, and short sides substantially parallel to an X axis of the quartz crystal blank. The quartz crystal blank includes a first center region, a second region and a third region that are adjacent to the first region along a long-side direction, and a fourth region and a fifth region that are adjacent to the first region along a short-side direction. A thickness of the second region and a thickness of the third region are smaller than the thickness of the first region, and/or a thickness of the fourth region and a thickness of the fifth region are smaller than the thickness of the first region, and 16.18W/T16.97, where W is a length of a short side and T is a thickness.

A self-powered generator is provided. The generator includes a piezoelectric nanorod member layer that includes a first layer; a second layer; and a plurality of piezoelectric nanorods disposed between the first and second layers. The piezoelectric nanorod is a biaxially-grown nanorod. When mechanical energy is applied from an outside, an upper half and a lower half of each of the plurality of piezoelectric nanorods generate piezoelectric potentials having opposite polarities, the upper half and the lower half being on both sides of a longitudinal axis along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

A piezoelectric device that includes a base member having an opening therein and an upper layer supported by the base member. The upper layer includes a vibration portion at a location corresponding to the opening in the base member. The vibration portion includes a lower electrode, an intermediate electrode and an upper electrode that are spaced apart from one another in a thickness direction of the piezoelectric device. The upper layer includes a first piezoelectric layer disposed so as to be at least partially sandwiched between the lower electrode and the intermediate electrode, and a second piezoelectric layer disposed so as to overlap with the first piezoelectric layer and so as to be at least partially sandwiched between the intermediate electrode and the upper electrode. The first piezoelectric layer and the second piezoelectric layer are different in relative permittivity in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric device.

Provided is a method of manufacturing an ultrasound probe. The method includes: preparing a backing layer having first and second surfaces with different heights due to forming a groove in the backing layer, wherein first and second electrodes are exposed on the first and second surfaces, respectively; forming a third electrode that is in contact with the first electrode; forming a base piezoelectric unit on the third electrode, the base piezoelectric unit including a piezoelectric layer; forming a piezoelectric unit by removing an upper region of the base piezoelectric unit; and forming a fourth electrode on the backing layer and the piezoelectric unit.