A mechanical structure comprising a stack including an active substrate and at least one actuator designed to generate vibrations at the active substrate, the stack comprises an elementary structure for amplifying the vibrations: positioned between the actuator and the active substrate, the structure designed to transmit and amplify the vibrations; and comprising at least one trench, located between the actuator and the active substrate. A method for manufacturing the structure comprising the use of a temporary substrate is provided.

A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric device that includes a substrate and a vibration portion that can include a membrane or a beam that is directly or indirectly supported by the substrate and arranged above the substrate. Moreover, the vibration portion includes a piezoelectric layer and the method includes forming the vibration portion and adjusting a resonance frequency of the vibration portion by locally subjecting a region including the vibration portion to heat treatment.

A bendable apparatus is provided. The flexible material has a first-surface spanned by a first direction and a second direction. The bendable apparatus also includes a first-constraining surface one of: formed in the first-surface of the flexible material; or attached to the first-surface of the flexible material; and a piezo-electric element including a first-edge surface and a second-edge surface opposing the first-edge surface. The piezo-electric element is fixedly attached on the first-surface of the flexible material, so that: the first-edge surface and the second-edge surface are at least approximately perpendicular to the first-surface of the flexible material, and the first-constraining surface is adjacent to the first-edge surface of the piezo-electric element. When a voltage is applied to the piezo-electric element, the piezo-electric element expands in length, the first-edge surface of the piezo-electric element applies a force on the first-constraining surface, and the flexible material bends.

A piezoelectric actuator including an anchor, an elastic layer having a first end coupled to the anchor, and a piezoelectric layer on the elastic layer. The elastic layer includes a solid sublayer including an elastic material and a second sublayer including a plurality of cavities. The piezoelectric layer is on the second sublayer of the elastic layer and includes a top electrode, a bottom electrode, and a piezoelectric material layer between the top electrode and the bottom electrode.

A light homogenizing element includes a light incident surface and at least one diffusion surface, including: a first substrate, a carrier layer, a piezoelectric film, a driving electrode, a light-transmitting layer, and multiple light diffusion microstructures. The first substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. The carrier layer is located on the first surface of the first substrate and includes a light passing region penetrating the carrier layer, and includes a protruding structure enclosing the light passing region. The light-transmitting layer is provided overlapping on the protruding structure, and the surface of the light-transmitting layer covering the light passing region is the light incident surface. The multiple light diffusion microstructures are provided on the at least one diffusion surface, and projections of the multiple light diffusion microstructures on the light-transmitting layer are located in the light passing region.

A cooling system is described. The cooling system includes a cooling element having a central region and a perimeter. The cooling element is anchored at the central region. At least a portion of the perimeter is unpinned. The cooling element is in communication with a fluid. The cooling element is actuated to induce vibrational motion to drive the fluid toward a heat-generating structure.

A piezoelectric multiplexer includes an actuator and multiple piezo-morph beams. The actuator includes an actuator conducting head and an actuator stem, and each piezo-morph beam includes a conducting beam contact head and a beam stem manufactured out of piezo-morph material. A control voltage is selectively applied to electrical contacts coupled to the beam stems to create a piezoelectric effect that bends the selected piezo-morph beam and creates an electrical connection between its contact head and the conducting head of the actuator. A control circuit with a controller signals which piezo-morph beam to connect to the actuator. This multi-piezo-morph-beam piezoelectric multiplexer can be affixed to the electrical terminals of different electrical components (e.g., a transistor) to create an electrical cell that can be manufactured on a semiconductor chip or in a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device.

A vibration device that includes a first elastic plate having a first end portion and a second end portion, and a first surface and a second surface facing each other and connecting the first and second end portions. A second elastic plate is laminated to the second end portion of the first elastic plate, and a piezoelectric vibration element is provided on at least one of the first surface and the second surface of the first elastic plate. On a portion where the first elastic plate and the second elastic plate are laminated, a first bonding portion and a second bonding portion that bond the first elastic plate and the second elastic plate to each other are provided. The second bonding portion is located closer to the first end portion than the first bonding portion.

The present invention relates to a microfluidic assay system and associated reading device, as well as the individual components themselves. The present invention also relates to methods of conducting assays, using a disposable system and associated reading device, as well as kits for conducting assays.

A bender beam actuator includes a first layer of piezoelectric material and a second layer of piezoelectric material overlying a portion of the first layer of piezoelectric material, where a length of the first layer of piezoelectric material is at least 2% greater than a length of the second layer of piezoelectric material.