Some embodiments are directed to a piezoelectric sensor, including a body with a central cavity; and a membrane extending over the cavity, which membrane is fastened to the body via its periphery and includes a carrier layer made of polymer and a sensitive layer made of piezoelectric polymer, the membrane being able to deform or vibrate. The sensitive layer is made of a material including a polymer filled with inorganic nanomaterials. Instrument including such a sensor.

The piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric composite including a plurality of piezoelectrics and a reaction product, and an electrode pair. The plurality of piezoelectrics is disposed in alignment at an interval of 1 to 10 m. The aspect ratio of each of the piezoelectrics is 5 or higher. The reaction product is a reaction product of a crosslinkable epoxy resin composition containing an elastomer component, a crosslinkable epoxy resin, and a crosslinking agent. One or each of a number of epoxy groups per molecule of the crosslinkable epoxy resin and a crosslinking value of the crosslinking agent is 3 or more.

The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for fabricating and operating superconducting switch devices. In one aspect, an electrical circuit includes: (1) a switch device configured to switch between an on state and an off state in response to a first voltage, the switch device comprising: (a) a superconductor layer adapted to transition from a superconducting state to an insulating state in response to a first strain; and (b) a piezoelectric layer positioned adjacent to the superconductor layer, the piezoelectric layer configured to apply the first strain to the superconductor layer in response to the first voltage; (2) a voltage source electrically coupled to the piezoelectric layer of the switch device and configured to supply the first voltage; and (3) an output component coupled to the superconductor layer of the switch device.

A piezoelectric film which is better in heat and deformation resistant properties than those in the prior art is provided along with a method of manufacture. The film is a piezoelectric film that is composed of a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and trifluoroethylene, the copolymer having a content of vinylidene fluoride in a range of not less than 82 mol % and not more than 86 mol % and having a molecular weight not less than 600,000. The piezoelectric film is subjected to a heat treatment for crystallization of the copolymer at a temperature ranging from not less than 140 C. to not more than 150 C., and is thereby caused to develop piezoelectric property. The piezoelectric film further has a heat resistance of not less than 140 C. and a breaking distortion of not less than 8% and not more than 55%, and an excellent deformation resistant property.

An actuator system configured to position an object, the actuator system includes a piezo actuator having an actuator contact surface. The piezo actuator is configured to exert a force via the actuator contact surface onto the object. The piezo actuator includes a transparent piezo material. The actuator system further has an optical position sensor configured to measure a position of the actuator contact surface. The optical position sensor is configured to transmit an optical beam through the transparent piezo material to the actuator contact surface. The optical position sensor may form an interferometer.

Disclosed is a curved piezoelectric device maximizing an electrical potential of the piezoelectric material corresponding to an external mechanical stress. The curved piezoelectric device includes: a curved substrate; and a piezoelectric material provided on one surface or both surfaces of the curved substrate, wherein when a stress is applied, a neutral plane in which a compressive stress and a tensile stress are balanced is located in the curved substrate, wherein the location of the neutral plane is determined by y.sub.1 and y.sub.2 of Equation 1 or 2 below, and wherein the location of the neutral plane is controllable by adjusting a thickness (d), a sectional area (A) and a Young's modulus (E) of each of the curved substrate and the piezoelectric material: wherein $ y 1 = E 2 d 2 ( d 1 + d 2 ) 2 ( E 1 d 1 + E 2 d 2 ) , y Pyroelectric sandwich thermal energy harvesters 10147863 · 2018-12-04 · The United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of Nasa · Tian-Bing Xu, Jin Ho Kang, Emilie J. Siochi, Glen C. King Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments provide pyroelectric sandwich thermal energy harvesters. In the various embodiment pyroelectric sandwich thermal energy harvesters, generated electrical energy may be stored in a super-capacitor/battery as soon as it is generated. The various embodiment pyroelectric sandwich thermal energy harvesters may harvest electrical energy from any environment where temperature variations occur. The various embodiment pyroelectric sandwich thermal energy harvesters may be power sources for space equipment and vehicles in space and/or on earth, as well as the for wireless sensor networks, such as health monitoring systems of oil pipes, aircraft, bridges, and buildings. Electromagnetic conversion device and information memory comprising the same 10062834 · 2018-08-28 · INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES · Yang Sun, Yisheng Chai, Dashan SHANG The present invention provides an electromagnetic conversion device, comprising: an intermediate layer and electrode layers located on both sides of the intermediate layer, wherein the intermediate layer is a magnetoelectric layer. The electromagnetic conversion device realizes the direct conversion of charge and magnetic flux, and thus can be used as a fourth fundamental circuit element, so as to provide a new degree of freedom for the design of electronic circuits and information function devices. In addition, the electromagnetic conversion device can be used as memory elements to form a nonvolatile magnetoelectric information memory. PIEZOELECTRIC FILM AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING SAME 20180097171 · 2018-04-05 · Kenji Omote, Tsurugi Samezawa, Hiroji Ohigashi A piezoelectric film which is better in heat and deformation resistant properties than those in the prior art is provided along with a method of manufacture. The film is a piezoelectric film that is composed of a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and trifluoroethylene, the copolymer having a content of vinylidene fluoride in a range of not less than 82 mol % and not more than 86 mol % and having a molecular weight not less than 600,000. The piezoelectric film is subjected to a heat treatment for crystallization of the copolymer at a temperature ranging from not less than 140? C. to not more than 150? C., and is thereby caused to develop piezoelectric property. The piezoelectric film further has a heat resistance of not less than 140? C. and a breaking distortion of not less than 8% and not more than 55%, and an excellent deformation resistant property. PIEZOELECTRIC SENSOR AND INSTRUMENT INCLUDING SUCH A SENSOR 20180069170 · 2018-03-08 · Didier Rouxel, Brice Vincent, Laurent Badie Some embodiments are directed to a piezoelectric sensor, including a body with a central cavity; and a membrane extending over the cavity, which membrane is fastened to the body via its periphery and includes a carrier layer made of polymer and a sensitive layer made of piezoelectric polymer, the membrane being able to deform or vibrate. The sensitive layer is made of a material including a polymer filled with inorganic nanomaterials. Instrument including such a sensor. $