A piezoelectric device and method of manufacturing are described. A first substrate is provided with an array of pillars comprising piezoelectric material. A second substrate is provided with a piezoelectric layer facing respective ends of the pillars. The respective ends of the pillars are pushed into the piezoelectric layer, while the piezoelectric layer is at least partially liquid. The piezoelectric layer is solidified to form an integral connection between the piezoelectric layer and the pillars. The piezoelectric layer can thus form a bridging structure between the respective ends of the pillars. The integral piezoelectric structure can be poled by high voltage. The bridging structure can act as a platform for depositing electrical contacts. The piezoelectric device can be used for generating or detecting acoustic waves, e.g. in medical imaging.

Provided are a preparation method of a piezoelectric composite material, and the application thereof. The preparation method includes: step 1, designing a curved-surface 3D printed mesh mold and forming the curved-surface 3D printed mesh mold by printing; step 2, cutting a blocky piezoelectric phase into a plurality of small piezoelectric columns; step 3, inserting the small piezoelectric columns into empty cells of the 3D printed mold; step 4, filling gaps between the piezoelectric columns and the 3D printed mold with a non-piezoelectric phase such as an epoxy resin, and curing and forming the non-piezoelectric phase; and step 5, grinding, polishing, and ultrasonically cleaning a prepared sample, and then performing an electrode coating operation on the sample to obtain a curved-surface piezoelectric composite material.

Provided are a preparation method of a piezoelectric composite material, and the application thereof. The preparation method includes: step 1, designing a curved-surface 3D printed mesh mold and forming the curved-surface 3D printed mesh mold by printing; step 2, cutting a blocky piezoelectric phase into a plurality of small piezoelectric columns; step 3, inserting the small piezoelectric columns into empty cells of the 3D printed mold; step 4, filling gaps between the piezoelectric columns and the 3D printed mold with a non-piezoelectric phase such as an epoxy resin, and curing and forming the non-piezoelectric phase; and step 5, grinding, polishing, and ultrasonically cleaning a prepared sample, and then performing an electrode coating operation on the sample to obtain a curved-surface piezoelectric composite material.

Parts made by additive manufacturing are often structural in nature, rather than having functional properties conveyed by a polymer or other component present therein. Printed parts having piezoelectric properties may be formed using compositions comprising a plurality of piezoelectric particles dispersed in at least a portion of a polymer matrix comprising first polymer material and a sacrificial material, the sacrificial material being removable from the polymer matrix to define a plurality of pores in the polymer matrix. The piezoelectric particles may remain substantially non-agglomerated when combined with the polymer matrix. The sacrificial material may comprise a second polymer material. The compositions may define a composite having a form factor such as a composite filament, a composite pellet, a composite powder, or a composite paste. Additive manufacturing processes may comprise forming a printed part by depositing the compositions layer-by-layer and introducing porosity therein.

A piezoelectric device includes a substrate that is flexible and thermally deformable, and a composite piezoelectric body disposed on the substrate. Output in accordance with deformation of the composite piezoelectric body is obtained. The composite piezoelectric body includes a piezoelectric layer containing an organic binder containing piezoelectric particles, a first electrode layer stacked on a first surface side of the piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode stacked on a second surface side of the piezoelectric layer. The substrate is insert molded and integrated with a molded resin body having a curved shape.

Provided is a polymeric piezoelectric film including a helical chiral polymer having a weight average molecular weight of from 50,000 to 1,000,000 and having optical activity, in which a crystallinity of the film measured by a DSC method is from 20% to 80%, a product of a standardized molecular orientation MORc measured by a microwave transmission-type molecular orientation meter based on a reference thickness of 50 μm and the crystallinity is from 40 to 700, and, when a refractive index in a slow axis direction in the film surface is n.sub.x, a refractive index in a fast axis direction in the film surface is n.sub.y, a refractive index in a thickness direction of the film is n.sub.z, and an Nz coefficient=(n.sub.x−n.sub.z)/(n.sub.x−n.sub.y), the Nz coefficient is from 1.108 to 1.140.

The present invention provides a piezoelectric material not containing lead and potassium, having a high relative density, a high Curie temperature, and a high mechanical quality factor, and exhibiting good piezoelectricity. The piezoelectric material contains 0.04 percent by mole or more and 2.00 percent by mole or less of Cu relative to 1 mol of metal oxide represented by General formula (1) below.
((Na.sub.1-zLi.sub.z).sub.xBa.sub.1-y)(Nb.sub.yTi.sub.1-y)O.sub.3 (in Formula, 0.70≦x≦0.99, 0.75≦y≦0.99, and 0<z<0.15, and x<y)  General formula (1)

Parts made by additive manufacturing are often structural in nature, rather than having functional properties conveyed by a polymer or other component. Printed parts having piezoelectric properties may be formed using a composite filament comprising a plurality of piezoelectric particles dispersed in a thermoplastic polymer. The composite filaments may be formed through melt blending and extrusion. The composite filament is compatible with fused filament fabrication and has a length and diameter compatible with fused filament fabrication, and the piezoelectric particles are substantially non-agglomerated and dispersed along the length of the composite filament. The piezoelectric particles may remain substantially non-agglomerated when dispersed in the thermoplastic polymer through melt blending. Additive manufacturing processes may comprise heating such a composite filament at or above a melting point or softening temperature thereof to form a softened composite material, and depositing the softened composite material layer by layer to form a printed part.

A backing includes a plurality of backing plates that are laminated. Each backing plate includes a lead row and a backing material. Each lead includes a lead wire and an insulating coating. The insulating coating is integrated with the backing material, and an adhesive layer between them does not exist. Short-circuit between the leads may be prevented or reduced by the insulating coating. The backing plate is manufactured by a screen printing method.

A high-aspect ratio structure production method and an ultrasonic probe production method of the present invention include: forming, in a principal surface of a substrate, a plurality of pores each extending in a direction intersecting the principal surface; plugging, among the plurality of pores, one or more pores formed in a first region; and forming a recess in a second region by a wet etching process. A high-aspect ratio structure includes a grating having a plurality of convex portions, wherein each of the plurality of convex portions is provided with a plugging member plugging a plurality of pores formed therein in a thickness direction of the structure.