A method of fabricating and controlling a thick-film transducer array for steering and focusing ultrasonic waves within a substrate volume is provided. A ceramic film composition can be coated on a substrate volume in one or more layers. The ceramic film can be masked with a plastic sheet out of which an electrode pattern is cut. Conductive electrode material can be applied to the pattern to create a transducer array that can be polarized with an applied electric field. A method of controlling a thick-film transducer array comprises exciting one or more array elements to generate a wavefield in a substrate volume, the wavefield can be reflected by features within the substrate volume, one or more array elements can receive reflected wavefield signals, and images of the insonified substrate volume can be generated.

A microfluidic device for continuous ejection of fluids includes: a semiconductor body that laterally delimits chambers; an intermediate structure which forms membranes each delimiting a top of a corresponding chamber; and a nozzle body which overlies the intermediate structure. The device includes, for each chamber: a corresponding piezoelectric actuator; a supply channel which traverses the intermediate structure and communicates with the chamber; and a nozzle which traverses the nozzle body and communicates with the supply channel. Each actuator is configured to operate i) in a resting condition such that the pressure of a fluid within the corresponding chamber causes the fluid to pass through the supply channel and become ejected from the nozzle as a continuous stream, and ii) in an active condition, where it causes a deformation of the corresponding membrane and a consequent variation of the pressure of the fluid, causing a temporary interruption of the continuous stream.

A power generation device manufacturing method and a power generation device are proposed. In one embodiment, the method includes (a) forming a halide perovskite active layer on a flexible substrate bent by a stress applied thereto and (b) releasing the stress applied to the substrate on which the halide perovskite active layer is formed, thereby unfolding the bent substrate. By applying a strain to the active layer of the power generation device and controlling the same, using the method described above, it is possible to improve the performance of the power generation device without changing the composition of the active layer or the configuration of the device.

A film structure body has: a substrate that is a silicon substrate including an upper surface composed of a (100) plane; an orientation film including a zirconium oxide film that is cubic crystal (100)-oriented on the upper surface; and a conductive film including a platinum film that is cubic crystal (100)-oriented on the orientation film.

An acoustic transducer, in particular for an ultrasonic sensor, is proposed. The acoustic transducer has a functional group, the functional group encompassing a diaphragm cup and at least one electroacoustic transducer element. The acoustic transducer furthermore has a housing. The diaphragm cup encompasses a vibration-capable diaphragm and an encircling wall, as well as at least one electroacoustic transducer element, the transducer element being embodied to excite the diaphragm to vibrate and/or to convert vibrations of the diaphragm into electrical signals. The diaphragm cup is constituted from a plastic material, the at least one transducer element being integrated into the vibration-capable diaphragm, the transducer element having an electrically active polymer.

A piezoelectric thin film contains a lower layer and a first piezoelectric layer stacked on the lower layer. The first piezoelectric layer contains a tetragonal crystal 1 of a perovskite-type oxide. A (001) plane of the tetragonal crystal 1 is oriented in a normal direction dn of a surface of the first piezoelectric layer. A spacing of (100) planes of the tetragonal crystal 1 is a1. A spacing of (100) planes of a crystal contained in the lower layer is aL. A lattice mismatch rate between the first piezoelectric layer and the lower layer is 100×(aL−a1)/a1. The lattice mismatch rate is 3.0 to 12.1%. A rocking curve of diffracted X-rays of the (001) plane of the tetragonal crystal 1 is measured in an out-of-plane direction of the surface of the first piezoelectric layer. A FWHM of the rocking curve is 1.9 to 5.5°.

An actuator assembly includes a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode, and an electroactive polymer layer disposed between the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, where the electroactive polymer layer includes a non-vertical (e.g., sloped) sidewall with respect to a major surface of at least one of the electrodes. The electroactive polymer layer may be characterized by a non-axisymmetric shape with respect to an axis that is oriented orthogonal to an electrode major surface.

A method for producing a liquid transport apparatus is disclosed. The liquid transport apparatus includes a pressure chamber plate, a ceramics layer formed on a surface of the pressure chamber plate, a piezoelectric layer formed on the ceramics layer, and an electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer. The ceramics layer is formed by heating an insulating ceramic material at a temperature lower than an annealing temperature of the piezoelectric layer. Accordingly, the atoms of the pressure chamber plate are suppressed from being diffused into the piezoelectric layer.

A method of forming an Al.sub.1-xSc.sub.xN film can include heating a substrate, in a reactor chamber, to a temperature range, providing a precursor comprising Sc to the reactor chamber, providing a dopant comprising Mg, C, and/or Fe to the reactor chamber, and forming an epitaxial Al.sub.1-xSc.sub.xN film on the substrate in the temperature range, the epitaxial Al.sub.1-xSc.sub.xN film including the dopant in a concentration in a range between about 1×10.sup.17/cm.sup.3 and about 2×10.sup.20/cm.sup.3 on the substrate.

A vibration module is disclosed. The vibration module includes a film, a piezoelectricity device, and a substrate. The film has a first surface. The piezoelectricity device is disposed on the first surface. The substrate is disposed on the first surface by in-mold injection method, which contacts and surrounds the piezoelectricity device.