A multilayer piezoelectric element using an alkaline niobate-based piezoelectric ceramic, which can inhibit its reliability from dropping while lowering production cost, is characterized by forming internal electrodes (10) with a metal whose silver content is 80 percent by mass or higher, and also constituting piezoelectric ceramic layers (40) with a piezoelectric ceramic whose primary component is an alkaline niobate having a perovskite structure and which also contains a lithium manganate.

A method for producing a plurality of piezoelectric multilayer components is disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for producing a plurality of piezoelectric multilayer components includes grinding the piezoelectric multilayer components without an addition of an abrasive by rubbing the piezoelectric multilayer components against one another so that a material abrasion of the piezoelectric multilayer components is carried out.

An electronic component includes external electrodes formed on an external surface of a body to be electrically connected to internal electrodes, and containing metal particles and glass, wherein the metal particles include particles having a polyhedral shape.

A multilayer ceramic electronic component is provided in which wet spreading of a metal bump material can be suppressed and a position of the metal bump can be controlled with high accuracy. The multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body having first and second main surfaces and first to fourth lateral surfaces between the main surfaces. Moreover, first and second opposing internal electrodes are provided inside the ceramic body and led out to one or more of the second lateral surfaces. A first electrode is provided on the first main surface and contains a ceramic material and a first external electrode that is connected to the first internal electrode, extends on the first electrode. In addition, a second external electrode is connected to the second internal electrode and extends onto the first main surface.

An electroactive ceramic may be incorporated into a transparent optical element between transparent electrodes and may characterized by a preferred crystallographic orientation. The preferred crystallographic orientation may be aligned along a polar axis of the electroactive ceramic and substantially parallel to each of the electrodes. Optical properties of the optical element, including transmissivity, haze, and clarity may be substantially unchanged during actuation thereof and the attendant application of a voltage to the electroactive ceramic.

A piezoelectric element, in which a piezoelectric material layer has a plurality of crystal particles and a plurality of void portions and, in at least one of two or more of the piezoelectric material layers, when the average thickness in the lamination direction of the piezoelectric material layer is defined as T.sub.P, the average circle-equivalent diameter of the plurality of crystal particles is defined as D.sub.G, the maximum length in the lamination direction of the plurality of void portions not contacting the electrode layers is defined as L.sub.V, and the average thickness of the electrode layers contacting the at least one piezoelectric material layer is defined as T.sub.E, 0.07T.sub.PD.sub.G0.33T.sub.P and T.sub.EL.sub.V0.3T.sub.P are established and the lead content is less than 1000 ppm.

A multilayer piezoelectric element includes a laminated body and a lateral electrode. The laminated body includes a piezoelectric layer and an internal electrode layer. The piezoelectric layer is formed along a plane including a first axis and a second axis perpendicular to each other. The internal electrode layer is laminated on the piezoelectric layer. The internal electrode layer has a leading portion exposed to the lateral surface of the laminated body and is electrically connected with the lateral electrode via the leading portion. A dummy electrode layer is formed with a gap to surround the internal electrode layer excluding the leading portion on the plane of the piezoelectric layer. The dummy electrode layer is composed of a material whose thermal shrinkage start temperature is higher than that of a conductive metal constituting the internal electrode layer.

A multilayer piezoelectric element includes a laminated body and a lateral electrode. The laminated body includes a piezoelectric layer and an internal electrode layer. The piezoelectric layer is formed along a plane including a first axis and a second axis perpendicular to each other. The internal electrode layer is laminated on the piezoelectric layer. The internal electrode layer has a leading portion exposed to the lateral surface of the laminated body and is electrically connected with the lateral electrode via the leading portion. Ro is higher than Rc in the the laminated body. Ro is an existence rate of outer circumferential pores existing in the piezoelectric layer located in an outer circumferential part of the internal electrode layer. Rc is an existence rate of central pores existing in a central part of the laminated body.

Methods for producing ceramic multi-layer components and multi-layer components made by such methods. A method includes the following steps: providing green layers for the ceramic multi-layer components, stacking the green layers into a stack and subsequently pressing the stack into a block, singulating the block into partial blocks each having a longitudinal direction, thermally treating the partial blocks and subsequently machining surfaces of the partial blocks. Recesses are produced on the surfaces of the partial blocks during the machining, and the partial blocks are singulated.

A multilayer piezoelectric ceramic is such that: its piezoelectric ceramic layers do not contain lead as a constituent element, and have a perovskite compound expressed by the composition formula Li.sub.xNa.sub.yK.sub.1-x-yNbO.sub.3 (where 0.02<0.1, 0.02<x+y1), as the primary component; and the internal electrode layers are constituted by a metal containing silver by 80 percent by mass or more, and contain ceramic grains containing the same elements found in the primary component. The multilayer piezoelectric element has a long lifespan, and whose internal electrode layers have a high content percentage of silver.