A PZT microactuator such as for a hard disk drive has a restraining layer bonded on its side that is opposite the side on which the PZT is mounted. The restraining layer comprises a stiff and resilient material such as stainless steel. The restraining layer can cover most or all of the top of the PZT, with an electrical connection being made to the PZT where it is not covered by the restraining layer. The restraining layer reduces bending of the PZT as mounted and hence increases effective stroke length, or reverses the sign of the bending which increases the effective stroke length of the PZT even further. The restraining layer can be one or more active layers of PZT material that act in the opposite direction as the main PZT layer. The restraining layer(s) may be thinner than the main PZT layer.

In a non-limiting embodiment, a device may include a substrate, and a hybrid active structure disposed over the substrate. The hybrid active structure may include an anchor region and a free region. The hybrid active structure may be connected to the substrate at least at the anchor region. The anchor region may include at least a segment of a piezoelectric stack portion. The piezoelectric stack portion may include a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer over the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer over the piezoelectric layer. The free region may include at least a segment of a mechanical portion. The piezoelectric stack portion may overlap the mechanical portion at edges of the piezoelectric stack portion.

The present invention relates to a gate structure and a method for its production.

In particular, the present invention relates to a gate structuring of a field effect transistor (FET), wherein the field effect transistor with the same active layer can be constructed as a depletion type, or D-type, as an enhancement type, or E-type, and as a low noise type, or LN-type, on a shared substrate base using a uniform method.

The gate structure according to the invention comprises a substrate; a piezoelectric active layer (112, 212) disposed on the substrate (110, 210); a passivation layer (120, 220) disposed on the active layer (112, 212), wherein the passivation layer (120, 220) has a recess (122, 222) that extends through the entire passivation layer (120, 220) in the direction of the active layer (112, 212); a contact element (140, 240) disposed within the recess (122, 222), wherein the contact element (140, 240) extends from the active layer (112, 212) to above the passivation layer (120, 220); and a cover layer (150, 250) that covers the contact element (140, 240) above the passivation layer (120, 220); wherein at least one layer disposed above the active layer is tensile stressed or compressively stressed in the area around the contact element, with a normal tension of ||>200 MPa, wherein via the individual stresses in the area around the contact element, a resulting force on the boundary area between the passivation layer and the active layer is set, which influences via the piezoelectric effect the electron density in the active layer in the area below the contact element.

The disclosed embodiments are generally directed to optical systems. The optical systems may include a proximal lens that may transmit light toward an eye of a user. The optical systems may also include a distal lens that may, in combination with the proximal lens, correct for at least a portion of a refractive error of the eye of the user. The optical systems may further include a selective transmission interface. The selective transmission interface may couple the proximal lens to the distal lens, transmits light having a selected property, and does not transmit light that does not have the selected property. The optical system can also include an accommodative lens, such as a liquid lens. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

A method for forming a MEMS device is provided. The method includes forming a stack of piezoelectric films and metal films on a base layer, wherein the piezoelectric films and the metal films are arranged in an alternating manner. The method also includes forming a first trench in the stack of the piezoelectric films and the metal films. The method further includes forming at least one void at the side wall of the first trench. In addition, the method includes forming a spacer structure in the at least one void. The method further includes forming a contact in the first trench after the formation of the spacer structure.

A method of fabricating the semiconductor device includes the following steps. Forming a sacrificial portion at a first end of an upper electrode layer before a passivation layer is formed so that it supports a corresponding end portion of the passivation layer, making the passivation layer not suspended at all. In this way, the suspended portion of the passivation layer will not be damaged during the formation of a contact pad. In addition, subsequent to the formation of the contact pad, removing the sacrificial portion, freeing up a space under the end portion of the passivation layer so that the end portion itself becomes a suspended portion. This can ensure performance of the resulting semiconductor device.

Vertical packaging configurations for ultrasound chips are described. Vertical packaging may involve use of integrated interconnects other than wires for wire bonding. Examples of such integrated interconnects include edge-contact vias, through silicon vias and conductive pillars. Edge-contact vias are vias defined in a trench formed in the ultrasound chip. Multiple vias may be provided for each trench, thus increasing the density of vias. Such vias enable electric access to the ultrasound transducers. Through silicon vias are formed through the silicon handle and provide access from the bottom surface of the ultrasound chip. Conductive pillars, including copper pillars, are disposed around the perimeter of an ultrasound chip and provide access to the ultrasound transducers from the top surface of the chip. Use of these types of packaging techniques can enable a substantial reduction in the dimensions of an ultrasound device.

A piezoelectric power generation device comprises a power generation element which includes a support body having a plate-like planar portion with first and second opposed main surfaces and a projecting portion projecting from a center portion of the second main surface. The first projecting portion has an outer periphery when seen in plan view along a direction perpendicular to the first main surface. A piezoelectric body is provided on the first surface and overlaps the first projecting portion when the first support body is seen in plan view along a direction perpendicular to the first main surface. A plurality of legs extend from the plate like planar portion away from the piezoelectric body. The legs are located radially outward of the periphery of the first projecting portion when the first support body is seen in plan view along a direction perpendicular to the first main surface.

A PZT microactuator such as for a hard disk drive has a restraining layer bonded on its side that is opposite the side on which the PZT is mounted. The restraining layer comprises a stiff and resilient material such as stainless steel. The restraining layer can cover most or all of the top of the PZT, with an electrical connection being made to the PZT where it is not covered by the restraining layer. The restraining layer reduces bending of the PZT as mounted and hence increases effective stroke length, or reverses the sign of the bending which increases the effective stroke length of the PZT even further. The restraining layer can be one or more active layers of PZT material that act in the opposite direction as the main PZT layer. The restraining layer(s) may be thinner than the main PZT layer.

An elastomer piezoelectric element is configured by alternately disposing first opposite electrodes and second opposite electrodes, and sandwiching a dielectric layer between each first opposite electrode and the corresponding second opposite electrode. Each of the dielectric layers includes a dielectric elastomer sheet-shaped dielectric portion and a conductive elastomer first common electrode connecting the first opposite electrodes to each other or a conductive elastomer second common electrode connecting the second opposite electrodes to each other. The first common electrode and the second common electrode are provided so as to extend from one main surface to another main surface of the dielectric portion, and are joined to the first opposite electrode and the second opposite electrode, respectively, on a joint surface along the dielectric layer.