A piezoelectric element includes: a first electrode and a second electrode; and a piezoelectric layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and having a perovskite structure, in which 0<P1/P2≤0.5 and 0<P1 where, when a positive predetermined voltage is applied to the piezoelectric layer, then a voltage applied to the piezoelectric layer is set to 0 V for 0.1 seconds, and then a triangular wave voltage waveform having a maximum voltage of the predetermined voltage is applied to the piezoelectric layer to obtain a hysteresis curve drawn counterclockwise, P1 is a residual polarization amount at a start point of the hysteresis curve and P2 is a residual polarization amount at an end point of the hysteresis curve.

Provided is a voice sensor comprising a piezoelectric material layer includes a substrate, a support layer, a metal layer, a piezoelectric material layer on the metal layer and an electrode on the piezoelectric material layer, and the substrate integrally supports a device layer of the voice sensor by exposing a part of a thin film including the piezoelectric material layer, the electrode and a polymer layer.

A piezoelectric element 1 includes a first electrode 20, a second electrode 40, and a piezoelectric layer 30 provided between the first electrode 20 and the second electrode 40. The piezoelectric layer 30 is composed of a composite oxide having a perovskite-type structure and containing potassium (K), sodium (Na), and niobium (Nb), and has a first peak derived from a (100) plane, a second peak derived from a (010) plane, and a third peak derived from a (001) plane in an X-ray diffraction pattern obtained by θ-2θ measurement.

An only inkjet-printing-based process for depositing functional materials, in various instances PZT, Bi-based material or (K,Na)-based material, on a substrate, in various instances platinized silicon. Substrate templating (via SAMs) and material deposition are both performed by an inkjet printing process. Additionally, a composition to be used as a SAM precursor ink which is a thiol in a solvent mixture. Further, a cartridge for a printing machine with such a composition. Still further, the use of such a cartridge, alone, or as a kit with another cartridge containing a precursor of the functional material, in particular to perform both steps of the printing method. Finally, a product, for instance a microsystem, obtained by the process.

An object is to provide a piezoelectric film with good piezoelectricity. This object can be achieved by a piezoelectric film comprising a vinylidene fluoride/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer film and having a residual polarization amount of 40 mC/m.sup.2 or more.

A piezoelectric transformer that includes a base and an upper layer supported by the base. The upper layer includes a first piezoelectric layer that includes the portion of the upper layer that is interposed between an output electrode and an intermediate electrode, and a second piezoelectric layer that is superposed with the first piezoelectric layer and includes the portion of the upper layer interposed between the intermediate electrode and an input electrode in at least n vibration portions. Moreover, the input electrode includes multiple input electrode pieces and the output electrode includes multiple output electrode pieces. In addition, wiring lines are routed such that voltages of opposite phases can be respectively applied to a first input electrode piece group and a second input electrode piece group with the potential of the intermediate electrode serving as a reference.

The present disclosure provides a control method of a fluid device. The control method includes the steps of (a) providing the fluid device, which includes a plurality of flow guiding units manufactured by a micro-electro-mechanical-system process; (b) dividing the flow guiding units into a plurality of groups, which are electrically connected to and controlled by a control module; and (c) generating a driving signal by the control module for a corresponding one of the groups, wherein the control module generates a high level signal to a specific one of the groups, so that the flow guiding units of the specific one of the groups are driven to transport fluid, and thereby controlling the fluid device to discharge a specific amount of fluid.

An electromechanical transducer includes an electromechanical transducer film of laminated layers including a perovskite-type complex oxide represented by a general formula of ABO.sub.3; and a pair of electrodes opposed to each other with the electromechanical transducer film interposed between the pair of electrodes. In the general formula of ABO.sub.3, A includes Pb and B includes Zr and Ti. A variable ratio ΔPb of Pb, determined by Pb(max)−Pb(min), is 6% or less and a variable ratio ΔZr of Zr, determined by Zr(max)−Zr(min), is 9% or less, where an atomic weight ratio of Pb in the electromechanical transducer film is denoted by Pb/B, an atomic weight ratio of Zr in the electromechanical transducer film is denoted by Zr/B, a maximum value and a minimum value of the atomic weight ratio of Pb in a film thickness direction of the electromechanical transducer film are denoted by Pb(max) and Pb(min), respectively, and a maximum value and a minimum value of the atomic weight ratio of Zr in the film thickness direction of the electromechanical transducer film are denoted by Zr(max) and Zr(min), respectively.

A piezoelectric element 10 includes a lower electrode, constituted of a Pt/Ti laminated film, a PLT seed layer, formed on the lower electrode, a PZT piezoelectric film, formed on the PLT seed layer, and an upper electrode, formed on the PZT piezoelectric film. A curve Q1 is a curve drawn such as to pass through a plurality of plotted points, each expressing a PLT (100) peak intensity with respect to a Pt (111) peak intensity according to a substrate setting temperature during forming of the Pt/Ti laminated film. A relationship of the PLT (100) peak intensity with respect to the Pt (111) peak intensity is within a range in the curve Q1 until the PLT (100) peak intensity decreases by 5% from a peak point P, at which the PLT (100) peak intensity is the maximum, and a (100) orientation rate of PLT constituting the seed layer is not less than 85%.

A piezoelectric element 10 includes a lower electrode, constituted of a Pt/Ti laminated film, a PLT seed layer, formed on the lower electrode, a PZT piezoelectric film, formed on the PLT seed layer, and an upper electrode, formed on the PZT piezoelectric film. A curve Q1 is a curve drawn such as to pass through a plurality of plotted points, each expressing a PLT (100) peak intensity with respect to a Pt (111) peak intensity according to a substrate setting temperature during forming of the Pt/Ti laminated film. A relationship of the PLT (100) peak intensity with respect to the Pt (111) peak intensity is within a range in the curve Q1 until the PLT (100) peak intensity decreases by 5% from a peak point P, at which the PLT (100) peak intensity is the maximum, and a (100) orientation rate of PLT constituting the seed layer is not less than 85%.