Chemical sensors include a functionalized electrode configured to change surface potential in the presence of an analyte. A piezoelectric element is connected to the functionalized electrode. A piezoresistive element is in contact with the piezoelectric element.

A vibrating body includes a substrate, a piezoelectric element comprising a piezoelectric layer and electrode layers and joined to the substrate, and a ceramic layer between the substrate and the piezoelectric element. The ceramic layer comprises a first region and a second region which is adjacent to the first region in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the ceramic layer. The first region has a square shape, each side of the first region having a length equal to a thickness of the ceramic layer, the second region has a square shape, each side of the second region having the length equal to the thickness of the ceramic layer, and a difference between a porosity of the first region and a porosity of the second region is not greater than 15%.

A vibration element includes: a substrate; a ceramic layer containing molten glass and provided on the substrate; and a piezoelectric element fixed to the substrate with the ceramic layer therebetween, wherein the piezoelectric element includes a first electrode layer provided in contact with the ceramic layer, a second electrode layer, and a piezoelectric layer provided between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and the first electrode layer has a thickness larger than that of the second electrode layer.

A thin film X.sub.yAl.sub.(1-y)N alloy preferably deposited with an intrinsic tensile stress significantly enhances the piezoelectric properties of AlN. The alloy contains y percent of the compound XN, where X is selected from the group consisting of Yb, Ho, Dy, Lu, Tm, Tb, and Gd. The percentage of XN preferably lies in the range 10-60%, and the stress is preferably in the range 200 MPa-1.5 GPa. The film is useful in MEMS devices.

A piezoelectric transformer that includes a base and an upper layer supported by the base. The upper layer includes a first piezoelectric layer that includes the portion of the upper layer that is interposed between an output electrode and an intermediate electrode, and a second piezoelectric layer that is superposed with the first piezoelectric layer and includes the portion of the upper layer interposed between the intermediate electrode and an input electrode in at least n vibration portions. Moreover, the input electrode includes multiple input electrode pieces and the output electrode includes multiple output electrode pieces. In addition, wiring lines are routed such that voltages of opposite phases can be respectively applied to a first input electrode piece group and a second input electrode piece group with the potential of the intermediate electrode serving as a reference.

Provided is a piezoelectric film that has a perovskite structure preferentially oriented to a (100) plane and that comprises a composite oxide represented by the following compositional formula: Pb.sub.a[(Zr.sub.xTi.sub.1-x).sub.1-yNb.sub.y].sub.bO.sub.3 wherein 0<x<1, and 0.10≤y<0.13, in which in a case where a ratio I.sub.(200)/I.sub.(100) of a diffraction peak intensity I.sub.(200) from a perovskite (200) plane with respect to a diffraction peak intensity I.sub.(100) from a perovskite (100) plane, as measured by an X-ray diffraction method, is r, and a/b is q, 0.28r+0.9≤q≤0.32r+0.95, 1.10≤q≤1.25, and r≤1.00 are satisfied.

Provided are a piezoluminescence structure, a piezoelectric structure, a manufacturing method thereof, and a high-sensitivity pressure sensor using the same. The piezoelectric structure includes: a plurality of perovskite material layers each including a material having an A.sub.nB.sub.nO.sub.3n perovskite structure; and interlayers inserted between the plurality of perovskite material layers and including A*O which is a metal oxide having reaction resistance to CO.sub.2. Here, A and A* are different elements and are one of an alkaline earth metal element, an alkali metal element, a lanthanide element, and a post-transition metal element, B is a transition metal element, O is an oxygen element, and n is a positive (+) integer. The piezoelectric structure may be a piezoluminescence structure.

There is provided a piezoelectric laminate, including: a substrate; and a piezoelectric film formed on the substrate, wherein the piezoelectric film is a film containing an alkali niobium oxide of a perovskite structure represented by a composition formula of (K.sub.1-xNa.sub.x)NbO.sub.3 (0<x<1), and having Young's modulus of less than 100 GPa.

A first organic resin layer is formed over a first substrate; a first insulating film is formed over the first organic resin layer; a first element layer is formed over the first insulating film; a second organic resin layer is formed over a second substrate; a second insulating film is formed over the second organic resin layer; a second element layer is formed over the second insulating film; the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded; a first separation step in which adhesion between the first organic resin layer and the first substrate is reduced; the first organic resin layer and a first flexible substrate are bonded with a first bonding layer; a second separation step in which adhesion between the second organic resin layer and the second substrate is reduced; and the second organic resin layer and a second flexible substrate are bonded with a second bonding layer.

A product includes an array of cold spray-formed structures. Each of the structures is characterized by having a defined feature size in at least one dimension of less than 100 microns as measured in a plane of deposition of the structure, at least 90% of a theoretical density of a raw material from which the structure is formed, and essentially the same functional properties as the raw material. A product includes a cold spray-formed structure characterized by having a defined feature size in at least one dimension of less than 100 microns as measured in a plane of deposition of the structure, at least 90% of a theoretical density of a raw material from which the structure is formed, and essentially the same functional properties as the raw material.