A piezoelectric substrate, comprising: a conductor cord that has a core material and a conductor disposed around the core material; and an elongated piezoelectric body that is disposed around the conductor cord in a spiral manner, unidirectionally along an axial direction of the conductor cord, wherein: the piezoelectric body comprises an optically active helical chiral polymer, a lengthwise direction of the piezoelectric body and a main orientation direction of the helical chiral polymer in the piezoelectric body are substantially parallel to each other, the piezoelectric body has an orientation degree F. of from 0.5 to less than 1.0, and the conductor cord satisfies Formula (b): ΔD.sub.max<t.sub.pmin, wherein ΔD.sub.max is a maximum value of a difference in height between a division A that is selected from plural divisions and a division B that is adjacent to the division A, and t.sub.pmin is a minimum thickness of the piezoelectric body.

A method is provided for growing a fiber structure, where the method includes: obtaining a substrate, growing an array of pedestal fibers on the substrate, growing fibers on the pedestal fibers, and depositing a coating surrounding each of the fibers. In another aspect, a method of fabricating a fiber structure includes obtaining a substrate and growing a plurality of fibers on the substrate according to 1½D printing. In another aspect, a multilayer functional fiber is provided produced by, for instance, the above-noted methods.

Provided is a novel piezoelectric element that has a generally long linear shape and has excellent flexibility and bend resistance. The piezoelectric element includes a core wire which is a resin wire having at least one layer of metal foil helically wound therearound, an organic piezoelectric layer that coats the core wire, and a conductor layer that coats the organic piezoelectric layer. The metal foil and the conductor layer each function as an electrode having the organic piezoelectric layer interposed therebetween. The at least one layer of metal foil is helically wound around the resin wire with gaps, and the ratio of the gap to the helical pitch of the metal foil is 0.4% to 50%.

It is disclosed a composite yarn structure (10) comprising: —a first element (15) comprising a coaxial flexible bi-component monofilament including a conductive component (20) and a thermoplastic component (30) exhibiting piezoelectric properties, —at least a second element (40) twisted around the first element (15), wherein the second element (40) has a lower elasticity with respect to the elasticity of the first element (15) such that, upon elongation of the yarn structure (10) in a first direction, the yarn structure (10) expands in a second direction, whereby the dimensions of the yarn are increased both in first and second directions to generate an additional force on said piezoelectric component of the first element.

Embodiments of the invention include an active fiber with a piezoelectric layer that has a crystallization temperature that is greater than a melt or draw temperature of the fiber and methods of forming such active fibers. According to an embodiment, a first electrode is formed over an outer surface of a fiber. Embodiments may then include depositing a first amorphous piezoelectric layer over the first electrode. Thereafter, the first amorphous piezoelectric layer may be crystallized with a pulsed laser annealing process to form a first crystallized piezoelectric layer. In an embodiment, the pulsed laser annealing process may include exposing the first amorphous piezoelectric layer to radiation from an excimer laser with an energy density between approximately 10 and 100 mJ/cm2 and pulse width between approximately 10 and 50 nanoseconds. Embodiments may also include forming a second electrode over an outer surface of the crystallized piezoelectric layer.

A piezoelectric substrate attachment structure including a cable-shaped piezoelectric substrate, a press section provided adjacent to the piezoelectric substrate and pressed from an opposite side from the piezoelectric substrate, and a base section provided adjacent to the piezoelectric substrate on an opposite side from the press section. A ratio Eb/Ea of a Young's modulus Eb of the base section to a Young's modulus Ea of the press section being 10.sup.−1 or lower.

Provided is a piezoelectric substrate including: an elongate conductor; and an elongate first piezoelectric material helically wound in one direction around the conductor, in which the first piezoelectric material includes an optically active helical chiral polymer (A), the lengthwise direction of the first piezoelectric material and the principal orientation direction of the helical chiral polymer (A) included in the first piezoelectric material are substantially parallel to each other, and the first piezoelectric material has an orientation degree of F. in a range of from 0.5 to less than 1.0, determined from X-ray diffraction measurement by the following Formula (a):
orientation degree F.=(180°−α)/180°  (a) (in Formula (a), α represents a half width of a peak derived from orientation).

Sensing an environment by confining a monitored live subject in an enclosure, detecting an effect on a coaxial piezoelectric cable resulting from the monitored live subject, wherein the coaxial piezoelectric cable is located at least proximate to the enclosure, and deriving information about a state of the monitored live subject based on the detected effect.

A piezoelectric body that is excellent in endurance, flexibility and bendability is achieved. A piezoelectric member includes: belt type first and second conductive rubber sheets that face each other; and a piezoelectric layer formed between an upper surface of the first conductive rubber sheet and a lower surface of the second conductive rubber sheet. The piezoelectric layer is made of a piezoelectric coating material with which at least either one of the upper surface of the first conductive rubber sheet and the lower surface of the second conductive rubber sheet is coated. When a pressure is applied to the piezoelectric layer through at least either one of the first conductive rubber sheet and the second conductive rubber sheet, a potential difference is generated between the first conductive rubber sheet and the second conductive rubber sheet.

Sensing an environment by confining a monitored live subject in an enclosure, detecting an effect on a coaxial piezoelectric cable resulting from the monitored live subject, wherein the coaxial piezoelectric cable is located at least proximate to the enclosure, and deriving information about a state of the monitored live subject based on the detected effect.