A dielectric device has a first electrode film having a non-oriented or amorphous structure, a dielectric film provided on the first electrode film and having a preferentially oriented structure, and a second electrode film provided on the dielectric film and having a non-oriented or amorphous structure.

An elastic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate with first and second main surfaces internally facing each other, an elastic-wave element that includes an interdigital transducer electrode provided on or in the first main surface of the piezoelectric substrate, and a first protective film that is provided on the first main surface of the piezoelectric substrate so as to cover the IDT electrode. The IDT electrode includes a main electrode layer made of a metal having a density higher than that of the first protective film. The piezoelectric substrate has a thickness of about 0.35 mm or smaller, and irregularities are located on the second main surface.

A controllable polymer actuator (1) comprising a dielectric elastomeric film (2); a first (3) and a second (4) deformable electrode arranged on opposite sides of the dielectric elastomeric film such that application of a voltage between the electrodes causes an active portion (7) of the controllable polymer actuator to change topography. The controllable polymer actuator (1) further comprises a deformation controlling layer (5, 6) connected to the dielectric elastomeric film. The deformation controlling layer at least locally has a higher stiffness than the dielectric elastomeric film, and exhibits a spatially varying stiffness across the active portion (7). This may enable surface topographies that could not at all be achieved using previously known controllable polymer actuators and/or may enable a certain surface topography to be achieved with a simpler electrode pattern and/or fewer individually controllable electrodes.

A method for producing a piezoelectric actuator including forming a vibration plate, forming a first electrode on the vibration plate, forming a piezoelectric layer on the first electrode, and forming a second electrode on the piezoelectric layer, wherein the forming the vibration plate has a single layer forming step including forming a metal layer containing zirconium by a gas phase method, and forming a metal oxide layer by firing the metal layer, the single layer forming step is repeated, thereby forming the vibration plate in which the metal oxide layers are stacked, and the metal oxide layer has a thickness less than 200 nm.

A method for producing a piezoelectric actuator including forming a vibration plate, forming a first electrode on the vibration plate, forming a piezoelectric layer on the first electrode, and forming a second electrode on the piezoelectric layer, wherein the forming the vibration plate has a single layer forming step including forming a metal layer containing zirconium by a gas phase method, and forming a metal oxide layer by firing the metal layer, the single layer forming step is repeated, thereby forming the vibration plate in which the metal oxide layers are stacked, and the metal oxide layer has a thickness less than 200 nm.

In a piezoelectric device, an ultrasound probe, and a droplet discharge unit of the present invention, each of a pair of first and second electrodes is placed on a piezoelectric member having a single orientation in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction thereof to extend in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction or along the thickness direction and in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the orientation. Therefore, the piezoelectric device of the present invention has excellent piezoelectric properties. Further, the ultrasound probe and the droplet discharge unit of the present invention have good efficiency.

Systems and methods for growing hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material with a c-axis that is tilted (e.g., 25 to 50 degrees) relative to normal of a face of a substrate are provided. A deposition system includes a linear sputtering apparatus, a translatable multi-aperture collimator, and a translatable substrate table arranged to hold multiple substrates, with the substrate table and/or the collimator being electrically biased to a nonzero potential. An enclosure includes first and second deposition stations each including a linear sputtering apparatus, a collimator, and a deposition aperture.

Systems and methods for growing hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material with a c-axis that is tilted (e.g., 25 to 50 degrees) relative to normal of a face of a substrate are provided. A deposition system includes a linear sputtering apparatus, a translatable multi-aperture collimator, and a translatable substrate table arranged to hold multiple substrates, with the substrate table and/or the collimator being electrically biased to a nonzero potential. An enclosure includes first and second deposition stations each including a linear sputtering apparatus, a collimator, and a deposition aperture.

Systems and methods for growing hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material with a c-axis that is tilted (e.g., 25 to 50 degrees) relative to normal of a face of a substrate are provided. A deposition system includes a linear sputtering apparatus, a translatable multi-aperture collimator, and a translatable substrate table arranged to hold multiple substrates, with the substrate table and/or the collimator being electrically biased to a nonzero potential. An enclosure includes first and second deposition stations each including a linear sputtering apparatus, a collimator, and a deposition aperture.

Systems and methods for growing hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material with a c-axis that is tilted (e.g., 25 to 50 degrees) relative to normal of a face of a substrate are provided. A deposition system includes a linear sputtering apparatus, a translatable multi-aperture collimator, and a translatable substrate table arranged to hold multiple substrates, with the substrate table and/or the collimator being electrically biased to a nonzero potential. An enclosure includes first and second deposition stations each including a linear sputtering apparatus, a collimator, and a deposition aperture.