A piezoelectric element includes a substrate and a laminate which is provided on the substrate and which includes a first electrode, a seed layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode in this order, and the seed layer includes a composite oxide containing as a constituent element, lead, iron, and titanium.

A liquid ejection head includes: a piezoelectric body; an vibration plate to be vibrated by a drive of the piezoelectric body; and a pressure chamber substrate including a pressure chamber which applies a pressure to a liquid by an vibration of the vibration plate; the pressure chamber substrate, the vibration plate, and the piezoelectric body are laminated in this order; and the vibration plate includes: a first layer containing silicon as a constituent element, a second layer which is disposed between the first layer and the piezoelectric body and which contains as a constituent element, a metal element selected from chromium, titanium, and aluminum, and a third layer which is disposed between the second layer and the piezoelectric body and which contains zirconium as a constituent element.

An electric current based on electric charge produced on the piezoelectric body changes by going through a first path, a second path, a third path, and a fourth path in this order. On the first path, the electric current becomes larger as the voltage becomes higher. On the second path, the electric current becomes smaller as the voltage becomes higher. On the third path, the electric current becomes larger as the voltage becomes higher. On the fourth path, the electric current becomes smaller as the voltage becomes higher.

A liquid discharge head includes: a nozzle plate provided with a nozzle hole that discharges a liquid; a silicon substrate provided with a pressure chamber that is connected with the nozzle hole; a diaphragm provided on the silicon substrate; and a piezoelectric element that is provided on the diaphragm and that changes a volume of the pressure chamber, where: the diaphragm includes a zirconium oxide layer; the zirconium oxide layer has (−111) preferred orientation; and in X-ray diffraction of the diaphragm, a difference between a position of (002) peak of the zirconium oxide layer and a position of (220) peak of the silicon substrate is 13.26° or more and 13.30° or less.

A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode provided at a base body, a piezoelectric layer provided at the first electrode and containing a composite oxide that contains potassium, sodium, and niobium and that has a perovskite structure, and a second electrode provided at the piezoelectric layer, wherein the first electrode is a platinum layer, the first electrode is preferentially oriented to (111), and the first electrode has an average crystal grain diameter of 200 nm or more.

The present invention relates to an electrical component for a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, in particular, but not limited to, an electromechanical actuator. In one aspect, the present invention provides an electrical component for a microelectromechanical systems device comprising: i) a substrate layer; ii) a plurality of adjacent electrical elements arranged over the substrate layer, where each electrical element is separated from a neighbouring electrical element by an intermediate region, each of the plurality of electrical elements comprising: a) a ceramic member; and b) first and second electrodes disposed adjacent the ceramic member such that a potential difference may be established between the first and second electrodes and through the ceramic member during operation; iii) a passivation layer, or a laminate of multiple passivation layers, at least partially overlying each of the plurality of electrical elements so as to provide electrical passivation between the first and second electrodes of each of the plurality of electrical elements; wherein the passivation layer, or at least an innermost layer of the laminate of passivation layers which is disposed adjacent each underlying electrical element, is discontinuous over at least one intermediate region between neighbouring electrical elements of the electrical component.

The present invention relates to an electrical component for a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, in particular, but not limited to, an electromechanical actuator. In one aspect, the present invention provides an insulated electrical component for a microelectromechanical systems device comprising: i) a substrate layer comprising first and second sides spaced apart in a thickness direction; ii) one or more electrical elements arranged over the first side of the substrate layer, wherein each of the one or more electrical elements comprises: a) a ceramic member; and b) first and second electrodes disposed adjacent the ceramic member such that a potential difference may be established between the first and second electrodes and through the ceramic member during operation; iii) a continuous insulating layer, or laminate of insulating layers, arranged to overlie each of the one or more electrical elements arranged on the first side of the substrate layer; and iv) a passivation layer, or laminate of multiple passivation layers, disposed adjacent to, and at least partially overlying, each of the one or more electrical elements so as to provide electrical passivation between the first and second electrodes of each of the one or more electrical elements; wherein: a) the passivation layer, or at least an innermost layer of the laminate of multiple passivation layers which is disposed adjacent each of the one or more underlying electrical elements, is discontinuous; and/or b) the laminate of multiple passivation layers is recessed at a side which faces away from each of the underlying electrical elements, wherein a recess is provided in a region overlying each of the one or more electrical elements, such that the laminate of passivation layers is thinner in a thickness direction across the recess compared to other non-recessed regions of the laminate of passivation layers.

A piezoelectric device includes: a first electrode provided above a substrate; a piezoelectric layer provided above the first electrode; and a second electrode provided above the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer includes a plurality of layers that includes a composite oxide of a Perovskite structure containing potassium, sodium, and niobium. The piezoelectric layer has a first region and a second region in a 3 μm×3 μm region of a plane perpendicular to a thickness direction of the piezoelectric layer. The first region is a region in which the ratio of an atomic concentration (atm %) of potassium with respect to the sum of the atomic concentration (atm %) of potassium and an atomic concentration (atm %) of sodium is 0.30 to 0.45, and the second region is a region in which the ratio is 0.55 to 0.75.

Provided is a liquid discharging head including: a nozzle discharging a liquid; a pressure chamber row in which a plurality of pressure chambers communicating with the nozzle are arranged side by side along a first axis direction; and a first reservoir and a second reservoir commonly communicating with the plurality of pressure chambers, in which the pressure chamber row includes a first pressure chamber communicating with the first reservoir and a second pressure chamber communicating with the second reservoir, and the liquid discharging head further comprises a communication flow path causing the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber to commonly communicate with one nozzle.

A piezoelectric element includes: a first electrode provided on a base; a piezoelectric layer provided on the first electrode and containing a complex oxide which has a perovskite structure and contains potassium, sodium, and niobium; and a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric layer, in which the first electrode contains platinum, the first electrode is (111) preferentially oriented, and a platinum atom contained in the first electrode is bonded to an oxygen atom at an interface between the first electrode and the piezoelectric layer.