A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric microactuator having a wrap-around electrode includes forming a piezoelectric element having a large central electrode on a top face, and having a wrap-around electrode that includes the bottom face, two opposing ends of the device, and two opposing end portions of the top face. The device is then cut through the middle, separating the device into two separate piezoelectric microactuators each having a wrap-around electrode.

Provided is: an elongated plate-form piezoelectric body, which contains an optically active helical chiral polymer (A) having a weight-average molecular weight of from 50,000 to 1,000,000 and has an elongated plate shape having a thickness of from 0.001 mm to 0.2 mm, a width of from 0.1 mm to 30 mm and a width-to-thickness ratio of 2 or higher, and in which the lengthwise direction and the main orientation direction of the helical chiral polymer (A) are substantially parallel to each other; the crystallinity measured by a DSC method is from 20% to 80%; and the birefringence is from 0.01 to 0.03.

An oscillator frequency modulation method includes: providing a piezoelectric material having a surface and an interior; and performing a pattern process on the piezoelectric material by a laser. A patterned processing zone is formed on the surface and/or in the interior of the piezoelectric material. The pattern process may be a material removal and/or a material modification. Therefore, without changing the appearance of the piezoelectric material, the pattern process on the piezoelectric material through the laser can accurately adjust the frequency of the oscillator and block unnecessary mode at the same time. An oscillator piezoelectric structure with frequency modulation is also provided.

An ultrasound system, probe and method are provided. The ultrasound system includes a transducer with piezoelectric transducer elements polarized in a poling direction. A bipolar transmit circuit is configured to generate a transmit signal having first and second polarity segments. The first and second polarity segments have corresponding first and second peak amplitudes. A bias generator is configured to generate a bias signal in a direction of the poling direction. The bias signal is combined with the transmit signal to form a biased transmit signal that is shifted in the direction of the poling direction and still includes both of positive and negative voltages over a transmit cycle.

A method for fabricating an array of front ends for an array of packaged electronic components that each comprise: an electrical element packaged within a package comprising a front part of a package comprising an inner section with a cavity therein opposite the resonator defined by the raised frame and an outer section sealing said cavity; and a back part of the package comprising a back cavity in an inner back section, and an outer back section sealing the cavity, said back package further comprising a first and a second via through the back end around said at least one back cavity for coupling to front and back electrodes of the electronic component; the vias terminating in external contact pads that are coupleable in a ‘flip chip’ configuration to a circuit board; the method comprising the stages of: i. Obtaining a carrier substrate having an active membrane layer attached thereto by its rear surface, with a front electrode on the front surface of the active membrane layer; ii. Obtaining an inner front end section; iii. Attaching the inner front end section to the exposed front surface of the front electrode; iv. Detaching the carrier substrate from the rear surface of the active membrane layer; v. Optionally thinning the inner front section; vi. Processing the rear surface by removing material to create an array of at least one island of active membrane on at least one island of front electrode; vii. Creating an array of at least one front cavity by selectively removing at least outer layer of the inner front end section, such that there is one cavity opposite each island of membrane on the front side of the front electrode on the opposite side to the island of active membrane; viii. Applying an outer front end section to the inner front end section and bonding the outer front end section to an outer surface of the inner front end section such that the outer front end section spans across and seals the at least one cavity of the array of front cavities.

Aspects of the embodiments are directed to systems and devices that include a piezo-electric element comprising a top-side electrode and a bottom-side electrode; a metal contact pad electrically connected to the bottom-side electrode; an electrode electrically connected to the top-side electrode; and an encasement encasing the piezo-electric element. The piezo-electric element can be prepared to include steps and metallization for use in one or more types of packaging.

An ultrasound system, probe and method are provided. The ultrasound system includes a transducer with piezoelectric transducer elements polarized in a poling direction. A bipolar transmit circuit is configured to generate a transmit signal having first and second polarity segments. The first and second polarity segments have corresponding first and second peak amplitudes. A bias generator is configured to generate a bias signal in a direction of the poling direction. The bias signal is combined with the transmit signal to form a biased transmit signal that is shifted in the direction of the poling direction and still includes both of positive and negative voltages over a transmit cycle.

A crystal vibration element that includes a crystal piece that has a prescribed crystal orientation, and a first direction and a second direction in a plan view thereof; and excitation electrodes that are respectively provided on front and rear surfaces of the crystal piece in order to excite a thickness shear vibration in the crystal piece upon application of an alternating electric field. A vibration distribution of the crystal piece has a vibration region that extends in a band-like shape in the second direction of the crystal piece and non-vibration regions that are adjacent to opposed sides of the vibration region in the first direction of the crystal piece.

An elastic wave device includes a piezoelectric layer including a first main surface and a second main surface facing the first main surface, an acoustically reflective layer stacked on the first main surface of the piezoelectric layer, an excitation electrode disposed on the piezoelectric layer, and a support layer. The acoustically reflective layer overlaps at least the excitation electrode in a plan view of the piezoelectric layer from the side of the second main surface. The support layer surrounds the acoustically reflective layer in a plan view of the piezoelectric layer from the side of the second main surface.

A light scanning apparatus includes a mirror supporting portion having a mirror on a front surface, an actuator configured to driving the mirror supporting portion, a fixed frame disposed around the mirror supporting portion and the actuator, and at least one rib disposed on a back surface side of the mirror supporting portion or the actuator, wherein the rib includes a straight portion and a contact portion having a width wider than a width of the straight portion.