An operation method of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes executing one or more imaging series of steps with an ultrasound transducer; and applying a polarization processing to the ultrasound transducer one or more of before, after, and interleaved between the one or more imaging series of steps, where the polarization processing is separate from the one or more imaging series of steps.

An ultrasonic motor is provided with increased torque without an increase in size. The ultrasonic motor includes a stator having a plate-shaped vibrating body including first and second main surfaces and a piezoelectric element on the first main surface; and a rotor in contact with the second main surface. The piezoelectric element is disposed along a circumferential direction of a traveling wave so as to generate the traveling wave circulating around an axial direction Z by vibrating the vibrating body. The piezoelectric element vibrates the vibrating body in a vibration mode including a nodal line extending in the circumferential direction. A mass addition portion is provided along the circumferential direction on at least one of the first and second main surfaces of the vibrating body 3, and the mass addition portion is located outside the nodal line in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction Z.

An ultrasonic motor is provided with increased torque without an increase in size. The ultrasonic motor includes a stator having a plate-shaped vibrating body including first and second main surfaces and a piezoelectric element on the first main surface; and a rotor in contact with the second main surface. The piezoelectric element is disposed along a circumferential direction of a traveling wave so as to generate the traveling wave circulating around an axial direction Z by vibrating the vibrating body. The piezoelectric element vibrates the vibrating body in a vibration mode including a nodal line extending in the circumferential direction. A mass addition portion is provided along the circumferential direction on at least one of the first and second main surfaces of the vibrating body 3, and the mass addition portion is located outside the nodal line in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction Z.

A first power supply member and a second power supply member are arranged on the same side of a first member in a thickness direction of an actuator. The first power supply member includes a first external connection terminal. The second power supply member includes a second external connection terminal. The first external connection terminal and the second external connection terminal are arranged on the same positions in the thickness direction. A second insulating layer is arranged between the second power supply member and a frame body. A far end side portion on an opposite side to a side, on which the first external connection terminal protrudes, in the first power supply member is bent toward the frame body to be electrically connected with the frame body.

A vibration device includes a light-transmissive body, and a vibrator to vibrate the light-transmissive body at a vibration acceleration of equal to or more than about 1.5×10.sup.5 m/s.sup.2 and equal to or less than about 8.0×10.sup.5 m/s.sup.2.

A vibration structure is provided that includes a vibration member including a frame having a first opening, a vibrator disposed inside the first opening and having a second opening, and one or more supports that support the vibrator to the frame; and a piezoelectric member disposed inside the second opening and having a first end and a second end, and expanding and contracting in a first direction connecting the first end and the second end when voltage is applied. Moreover, a first part and a second part of a first connection member are provided that connect the first end of the piezoelectric member to the frame; and a first part and a second part of a second connection member are provided that connect the second end of the piezoelectric member to the vibrator. At least the first connection member is an elastic body.

A vibration structure is provided that includes a vibration member including a frame having a first opening, a vibrator disposed inside the first opening and having a second opening, and one or more supports that support the vibrator to the frame; and a piezoelectric member disposed inside the second opening and having a first end and a second end, and expanding and contracting in a first direction connecting the first end and the second end when voltage is applied. Moreover, a first part and a second part of a first connection member are provided that connect the first end of the piezoelectric member to the frame; and a first part and a second part of a second connection member are provided that connect the second end of the piezoelectric member to the vibrator. At least the first connection member is an elastic body.

Disclosed are a fingerprint identification structure, a driving method thereof and an electronic device. The fingerprint identification structure includes: a driving electrode layer; a piezoelectric material layer; a receiving electrode layer, which includes M receiving electrodes; an auxiliary driving electrode layer, which is located at the side of the piezoelectric material layer away from the receiving electrode layer, and is arranged in a layer different from the driving electrode layer; and a first insulating layer, the auxiliary driving electrode layer includes N auxiliary driving electrodes; the N driving electrodes and the N auxiliary driving electrodes are alternately arranged; and the orthographic projection, on the piezoelectric material layer, of an i-th auxiliary driving electrode overlaps with an interval between the orthographic projections, on the piezoelectric material layer, of an i-th driving electrode and an (i+1)-th driving electrode.

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.

A dual frequency ultrasonic and sonic actuator with constrained impact mass is presented. According to one aspect, displacement of the impact mass is constrained by cavity to which ultrasonic stress from the tip of a horn is applied. According to another aspect, the displacement of the impact mass is constrained by a spring attached to the tip of the horn. According to another aspect, the displacement of the impact mass is constrained by a flexure. The constrained impact mass converts the ultrasonic stress to lower frequency sonic stress that is coupled to a transmitting element for transmission through a surface. According to one aspect, the transmitting element is a longitudinal probe. According to another aspect, the transmitting element is a drill bit used to penetrate though the surface. According to another aspect, the transmitting element is a thumper used to transmit elastic waves though the surface.