A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric material layer and an electrode layer, wherein the piezoelectric material layer and the electrode layer are stacked on top of each other, the piezoelectric material layer includes a barium titanate-based material, and two coercive fields Ec1 and Ec2 of the piezoelectric element have the same sign and satisfy (|Ec2|−|Ec1|)≥8 kV/cm.

In one general aspect, various embodiments are directed to an ultrasonic surgical instrument that comprises a transducer configured to produce vibrations along a longitudinal axis at a predetermined frequency. In various embodiments, an ultrasonic blade extends along the longitudinal axis and is coupled to the transducer. In various embodiments, the ultrasonic blade includes a body having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end is movable relative to the longitudinal axis by the vibrations produced by the transducer.

A method for producing a plurality of piezoelectric multilayer components is disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for producing a plurality of piezoelectric multilayer components includes grinding the piezoelectric multilayer components without an addition of an abrasive by rubbing the piezoelectric multilayer components against one another so that a material abrasion of the piezoelectric multilayer components is carried out.

The present application relates to stacked piezoelectric composites comprising piezoelectric structures. Suitably, the composites are useful as tissue-stimulating implants, including spinal fusion implants. The present application also relates to methods of making stacked piezoelectric composites.

A piezoelectric element unit includes: a substrate having a main surface; a piezoelectric film arranged on the substrate and having a first side surface, a second side surface opposite the first side surface, and a bottom surface that faces the main surface and is connected to the first side surface and the second side surface; a first electrode arranged on the substrate and in contact with the first side surface of the piezoelectric film; and a second electrode arranged on the substrate in contact with at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface of the piezoelectric film, and provided to be separated from the first electrode.

The disclosure provides a piezoelectric sensor, including a piezoelectric crystal cylinder including a plurality of crystal layers which are laminated, each crystal layer including two axially opposite end faces, each end face including an electrode film region and a terminal film region, wherein the electrode film region and the terminal film region on the same end face are separated by a crystal exposure region, the electrode film region on one end face of the two end faces in each crystal layer is electrically connected to the terminal film region on the opposite end face of the two end faces, and the electrode film regions on adjacent end faces of adjacent crystal layers are in contact with each other and form an electrical connection while the terminal film regions on the adjacent end faces of the adjacent crystal layers are in contact with each other and form an electrical connection.

Various ultrasonic instruments are disclosed. The ultrasonic instruments include an ultrasonic waveguide acoustically coupled to an ultrasonic transducer. Several techniques for acoustically coupling the ultrasonic transducer to the ultrasonic waveguide are disclosed.

Aspects of the present disclosure include various ultrasonic surgical instruments. At least one disclosed surgical instrument includes a waveguide including a blade and a transducer base plate. The transducer base plate may be coupled to the waveguide to define a tapered joint at an interface between the waveguide and the transducer base plate. The transducer base plate may include first and second sides defining corresponding first and second flat faces configured to receive first and second piezoelectric elements. The first and second piezoelectric elements are configured to operate in a D31 mode.

A measurement transducer for simultaneously measuring a force that can be both dynamic and static includes at least one piezoelectric transducer element having element surfaces on which the force generates electrical polarization charges proportional to a magnitude of the force. The measurement transducer includes a resonator element which can be excited to at least one resonance frequency and undergoes a transverse expansion from the action of the force in a transverse direction to the force. The magnitude of the transverse expansion is proportional to the magnitude of the force and causes in the resonance frequency a change that is a function of the force.

Disclosed is an ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising a transducer base plate, first and second piezoelectric elements positioned on opposite faces of the transducer base plate. The transducer base plate is coupled to a waveguide. The waveguide is electrically coupled to the first and second piezoelectric elements by a conductive adhesive. The first and second piezoelectric elements are electrically coupled to an ultrasonic signal generator through an electrode. A thermal conductor conducts thermal energy away from the first and second piezoelectric elements. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating such an ultrasonic surgical instrument.