An imaging device includes a two dimensional array of piezoelectric elements. Each piezoelectric element includes: a piezoelectric layer; a bottom electrode disposed on a bottom side of the piezoelectric layer and configured to receive a transmit signal during a transmit mode and develop an electrical charge during a receive mode; and a first top electrode disposed on a top side of the piezoelectric layer; and a first conductor, wherein the first top electrodes of a portion of the piezoelectric elements in a first column of the two dimensional array are electrically coupled to the first conductor.

An electronic device 1 includes: a panel 10; a housing 60 holding the panel 10; and a piezoelectric element 30 attached to the panel 10, wherein the deformation of the piezoelectric element 30 causes the panel 10 to vibrate, to transmit human body vibration sound to an object in contact with the panel 10, and the perpendicular line or normal to the main surface of the panel 10 and the surface of the piezoelectric element 30 attached to the panel 10 are not orthogonal to each other.

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 actuation device comprises at least one electroactive polymer (EAP) layer (52) attached to a carrier (50) and a mechanical structure (56, 58) which defines at least two stable states. The EAP layer is adapted, when driven, to interact with the mechanical structure to switch between the at least two stable states, wherein the mechanical structure retains the electroactive polymer layer in the selected stable state in a non-driven state. In this way, two or more stable states for the device are defined, which can be retained when the EAP is no longer driven.

An electromechanical transducer element includes a first electrode on a substrate, an electromechanical transducer film on the first electrode, and a second electrode on the electromechanical transducer film. The electromechanical transducer film includes a thin line pattern. The thin line pattern includes a plurality of thin lines that are spaced away from each other.

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.

An ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer device includes a transducer array consisting of an array of vibrating elements, and a base to which the array of vibrating elements in the transducer array are attached. The base include integrated electrical interconnects for carrying driving signals and sensed signals between the vibrating elements and an external control circuit. The base can be an ASIC wafer that includes integrated circuitry for controlling the driving and processing the sensed signals. The interconnects and control circuits in the base fit substantially within an area below the array of multiple vibrating elements.

A piezoelectric bimorph actuator with an integral compliant boundary employs a first piezoelectric element, a second piezoelectric element and a composite layer intimately engaged between the first and second piezoelectric elements to form a bimorph actuator. The composite layer extends from a peripheral edge of the piezoelectric elements and has a curved interface portion providing a mount for attachment of the bimorph actuator.

Medical devices configured to direct sound waves to a body tissue of a subject are provided. The medical device includes a housing and a curved piezoelectric transducer, where the curved piezoelectric transducer is configured to direct sound waves produced by the curved piezoelectric transducer to the body tissue of the subject. Also provided are methods of directing sound waves to a body tissue of a subject using the subject medical devices. The subject medical devices and methods find use in a variety of applications where the treatment of a body tissue of a subject with sound waves is desired.

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.