A piezoelectric device includes a body provided with a first region and a second region lined along a first direction. The first region deformably extends/contracts along the first direction. The second region deformably curves in such a manner that one or the other side in a second direction intersecting the first direction curves outward.

A piezoelectric multi-layer component includes a piezoelectric main body, which has an inlet area and an outlet area. In the outlet area or in the inlet area at least two adjacent layers are polarized antiparallel to each other and at least two adjacent layers are polarized parallel to each other.

Use of an elastomeric film in the form of a gel, wherein said gel is a non-conductive hydrogel or organogel, as a dielectric electroactive polymer.

The disclosed embodiments are generally directed to optical systems. The optical systems may include a proximal lens that may transmit light toward an eye of a user. The optical systems may also include a distal lens that may, in combination with the proximal lens, correct for at least a portion of a refractive error of the eye of the user. The optical systems may further include a selective transmission interface. The selective transmission interface may couple the proximal lens to the distal lens, transmits light having a selected property, and does not transmit light that does not have the selected property. The optical system can also include an accommodative lens, such as a liquid lens. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

A piezoelectric drive element includes piezoelectric layers, electrode layers between the piezoelectric layers, and electrode layers as the surfaces of the laminated layers. The piezoelectric layers are arranged on the upper side and on the lower side with reference to the center in the thickness direction, and are polarized in opposite directions. The thicknesses of piezoelectric layers at the center which have the least displacement are the thickest. The thicknesses of the piezoelectric layers above and under the thickest piezoelectric layers decrease gradually in an outward direction. A piezoelectric sound-generating body is constructed by affixing the piezoelectric driving element to a support plate and supporting the piezoelectric driving element with a frame.

The force of a piezoelectric element is efficiently transferred to an optical fiber without attenuation, so that the vibration of the optical fiber becomes large. Provided is an optical fiber scanner including an optical fiber which has an elongated cylindrical shape in which illumination light emitted from a light source is guided and can emerge from a distal end thereof and whose distal end can be vibrated in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction thereof; and at least one piezoelectric element which have a plate shape polarized in a thickness direction thereof and which are separately bonded to an outer circumferential surface of the optical fiber closer to a base side than to a distal end thereof.

Provided is a multilayer transformable device with enhanced driving displacement and a display device including the same. The multilayer transformable device, for example, includes a plurality of unit transformable devices, each of the unit transformable devices that includes a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and a transformable layer including an electro-active polymer (EAP) and a sub-transformable layer disposed between the plurality of unit transformable devices, the sub-transformable layer including a sub-EAP different from the EAP.

A method for forming a MEMS device is provided. The method includes forming a stack of layers on a base piezoelectric layer. The stack of layers includes a base metal film over the base piezoelectric layer; a first piezoelectric film over the base metal film; and a first metal film having an opening therein over the first piezoelectric film. The method also includes forming a trench in the stack of layers, wherein the trench passes through the opening in the first metal film but does not expose the base metal film; after forming the trench, forming a spacer structure under the first metal film but spaced apart from the base metal film; after forming the spacer structure, deepening the trench to expose the base metal film; and forming a contact in the trench.

Provided is a piezoelectric thin film device in which lattice mismatch between a piezoelectric thin film and a lower electrode layer (first electrode layer) is reduced. A piezoelectric thin film device 10 comprises a first electrode layer 6a and a piezoelectric thin film 2 laminated directly on the first electrode layer 6a; the first electrode layer 6a includes an alloy composed of two or more metal elements; the first electrode layer 6a has a face-centered cubic lattice structure; and the piezoelectric thin film 2 has a wurtzite structure.

A stacked film includes an oxide film including a ZrO.sub.2 film, a metal oxide film provided on the oxide film, and a predetermined metal film provided on the metal oxide film and having a single orientation, and the metal oxide film is a PtO film or a PdO film. In the case of this structure, the predetermined metal film has a single orientation, and characteristics of the piezoelectric film such as PZT formed on the predetermined metal film are improved. Therefore, excellent characteristics such as an increase in the driving force due to the piezoelectric film or a reduction in leakage current can be exhibited.