An imaging system includes: a transceiver cell for generating a pressure wave and converting an external pressure wave into an electrical signal; and a control unit for controlling an operation of the transceiver cell. The transceiver cell includes: a substrate; at least one membrane suspending from the substrate; and a plurality of transducer elements mounted on the at least one membrane. Each of the plurality of transducer elements has a bottom electrode, a piezoelectric layer on bottom electrode, and at least one top electrode on the piezoelectric layer. Each of the plurality of transducer element generates a bending moment in response to applying an electrical potential across the bottom electrode and the at least one top electrode and develops an electrical charge in response to a bending moment due to the external pressure wave.

There is provided a touch sensitive element including an electroactive layer, and an electrode disposed on at least one surface of the electroactive layer. The electroactive layer has a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion which has a second thickness different from the first thickness and is in contact with the first portion at an outside of the first portion.

The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating an ultrasound transducer. A substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side is provided. A bottom electrode is formed over the first side of the substrate. A piezoelectric element is formed over the bottom electrode. The piezoelectric element has a chamfered sidewall. A top electrode is formed over the piezoelectric element. A step metal element is formed over a portion of the top electrode proximate to the chamfered sidewall of the piezoelectric element.

An optical device with a deformable membrane (2) including an anchor area (2.3) on a support (1) entrapping a liquid or gas fluid, a central area (2.1) reversibly deformable from a rest position, actuating means for moving the fluid (4) biasing the membrane (2) into an intermediate area between the anchor area (2.3) and the central area (2.1), the actuating means include a piezoelectric continuous crown accommodating several actuators (5.1), this crown surrounding the central area (2.1), the actuating means (5) being anchored to the membrane (2) in at least the intermediate area (2.2), the actuating means (5) and the membrane (2) to which they are anchored, forming at least one piezoelectric bimorph (B), the actuating means (5) radially contracting or extending upon actuation so as to generate a movement of said fluid (4) from the intermediate area (2.2) to the central area (2.1) of the membrane (2) or vice versa, aiming at deforming the central area (2.1) with respect to its rest position.

An omnidirectional electroacoustic transducer capable of reproducing a sound with high acoustic quality and sufficient sound volume in a wide frequency band is provided with a small number of components. The electroacoustic transducer includes: two or more electroacoustic transduction units each including an electroacoustic transduction film and an elastic supporter, the electroacoustic transduction film having a polymer composite piezoelectric body in which piezoelectric body particles are dispersed in a viscoelastic matrix formed of a polymer material having viscoelasticity at a normal temperature, and two thin film electrodes laminated on both surfaces of the polymer composite piezoelectric body, and the elastic supporter being disposed to be closely attached to one principal surface of the electroacoustic transduction film so as to cause the electroacoustic transduction film to be bent, in which the two or more electroacoustic transduction units are disposed so that the electroacoustic transduction films face outward and form some or all of faces of a polyhedron.

An intraocular lens (IOL) has a clear optic and means for actuating change in curvature in at least a portion the clear optic. The intraocular lens (IOL) can have anterior and posterior portions spaced apart by a cavity, and an actuator for urging change in curvature in at least one of said portions, with energy provided by an energy harvesting mechanism incorporated into haptics of said IOL.

An electromechanical transducer element includes a first electrode; an electromechanical transducer film stacked on one surface of the first electrode; a second electrode stacked on the electromechanical transducer film; and wiring formed on the second electrode. In an at least one cross section, each of a boundary, on a second electrode side, of the electromechanical transducer film and a boundary, on a side opposite to the electromechanical transducer film, of the second electrode is a curved shape protruding away from the first electrode. In the at least one cross section, each of a film thickness of the electromechanical transducer film and a film thickness of the second electrode becomes thinner toward end portions from a maximum height portion.

A piezoelectric actuator for a miniature fluid transportation device is provided and includes a piezoelectric actuating plate and a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric actuating plate includes a suspension plate, an outer frame, and brackets. The suspension plate has a first thickness. The outer frame is arranged around the suspension plate and has a third thickness. Each of the brackets is connected between the suspension plate and the outer frame and has a fourth thickness. The third thickness is larger than the first thickness, and the first thickness is larger than the fourth thickness. The suspension plate, the outer frame and the brackets are constructed to form different stepped structures to minimize the thickness of the brackets, enhance the elasticity of the brackets. Thus, displacement of the suspension plate in the vertical direction is enhanced and the transportation efficiency of the miniature fluid transportation device is intensified.

A method of fabricating miniature ultrasound transducers includes receiving a wafer on which a plurality of miniature ultrasound transducers is formed. The miniature ultrasound transducers each includes: a transducer membrane that contains a piezoelectric material and a first bond pad and a second bond pad each electrically coupled to the transducer membrane. A protective layer is conformally deposited over the plurality of miniature ultrasound transducers from a front side of the wafer. A first etching process is performed to form a plurality of first trenches that extend into the wafer from the front side. The first trenches are etched through the protective layer. The first trenches are disposed between adjacent miniature ultrasound transducers. A second etching process is performed to remove portions of the protective layer disposed over the first and second bond pads, thereby exposing the first and second bond pads.

A flexible display, including: a flexible display panel; an electroactive polymer layer disposed on a side of the flexible display panel that faces away from a displaying surface of the flexible display panel; and a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer which are disposed on the electroactive polymer layer. The electroactive polymer layer is capable of deforming according to the voltage applied across the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.