A piezoelectric element and a method of manufacturing the piezoelectric element are provided. The piezoelectric element is provided with a substrate having an intermediate layer disposed between a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer, a first electrode layer of an electrically conductive non-ferroelectric material disposed on the second substrate layer, a ferroelectric, piezoelectric and/or flexoelectric layer disposed on the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer of an electrically conductive non-ferroelectric material disposed on the ferroelectric, piezoelectric and/or flexoelectric layer. The intermediate layer and/or the first substrate layer is removed below a layer stack formed by the first electrode layer, the ferroelectric, piezoelectric and/or flexoelectric layer, and the second electrode layer so that the layer stack can be moved in a translatory manner along its normal directed along the layer sequence.

A movable piezo element and to a method for producing the element are provided. The movable piezo element may have a structured substrate, in which an intermediate layer is arranged between a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer. The element may also have a first electrode layer. The element may also have a second electrode layer arranged on the ferroelectric, piezoelectric, or flexoelectric layer. The second substrate layer may be structured such that at least one bar of the second substrate layer is formed. The bar may be clamped on one side and may be physically spaced from the first substrate layer. A surface of the bar facing away from the first substrate layer, and/or a lateral surface of the bar, may be at least partly covered by another layer.

A metamaterial-based substrate (meta-substrate) for piezoelectric energy harvesters. The design of the meta-substrate combines kirigami and auxetic topologies to create a high-performance platform including preferable mechanical properties of both metamaterial morphable structures. The creative design of the meta-substrate can improve strain-induced vibration applications in structural health monitoring, internet-of-things systems, micro-electromechanical systems, wireless sensor networks, vibration energy harvesters, and other applications whose efficiency is dependent on their deformation performance. The meta-substrate energy harvesting device includes a meta-material substrate comprising an auxetic frame having two kirigami cuts and a piezoelectric element adhered to the auxetic frame by means of a thin layer of elastic glue.

A piezoelectric element includes: a piezoelectric body having a first surface and a second surface that are different from each other; a first electrode provided at the first surface; and a second electrode provided at the second surface. The piezoelectric body contains a helical chiral polymer crystal having an orientation axis as a crystal axis, the orientation axis is uniaxially oriented in a manner of intersecting both the first surface and the second surface, and a degree of orientation of the orientation axis in the piezoelectric body is 0.80 or more.

A device for harvesting motion energy, the device having an outer structure, multiple piezoelectric units having a permanent source of electromagnetic field (magnet or electret) attached to a piezoelectric material, where each of the piezoelectric units is fixed, at least in part, to the outer structure, where the inner structure is configured to be free to move within the outer structure, and an electric circuit configured to store or provide electric energy supplied by the piezoelectric units due to strain caused by relative motion between the outer structure and the inner structure.

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.

An ultrasonic sensor includes an element substrate having a first and a second surface at an opposite side of the first surface, including an opening section piercing through the element substrate in a Z direction from the first to second surface, a vibrating plate on the first surface of the element substrate to close the opening section, a plurality of vibration regions extending along an X direction orthogonal to the Z direction on the vibration plate in positions overlapping the opening section, and a plurality of piezoelectric elements to correspond to the plurality of vibration regions of the vibration plate. The opening section includes, on the first surface, a first and second side parallel to the X direction and a third and fourth side coupling end portions in the X direction of the first and second sides at an acute or obtuse angle to the first and the second side.

The present application provides a human joint energy harvesting apparatus for capturing the biomechanical energy of a joint to generate electrical energy. The generated electrical energy may provide a real-time power supply to the wearable electronics. The apparatus employs a linear slide rail mechanism and cooperates with the user's first limb and second limb to form a slider-crank mechanism, which converts the rotating motion of the joint into a linear motion of the linear slide rail mechanism. The bending beam converts the linear motion of the linear slide rail mechanism into a bending motion. A piezoelectric film may be bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the bending beam. During walking, the bending beam is deformed, causing the piezoelectric film to be stretched or compressed to generate electrical energy. To harvest more energy, the bending beam used in the apparatus is designed to be subjected to forced motion and free vibration, and a proof mass is attached to it. The present application also provides a wearable electronic device equipped with the human joint energy harvesting apparatus.

An energy harvester includes a frame having a base, a first side member affixed to the base, and a second side member affixed to the base and spaced apart from the first side member. A beam is coupled between the first side member of the frame and the second side member of the frame. The beam has a substrate layer with a first end affixed to the first side member of the frame, a second end affixed to the second side member of the frame, a first face, and a second face opposite to the first face. The substrate is elastically deformable in response to the vibratory force. The beam further includes a first piezoelectric layer joined to the first face of the substrate layer and having a terminal for electrical connection to a load, the first piezoelectric layer comprising at least one piezoelectric patch.

In a non-limiting embodiment, a device may include a substrate, and a hybrid active structure disposed over the substrate. The hybrid active structure may include an anchor region and a free region. The hybrid active structure may be connected to the substrate at least at the anchor region. The anchor region may include at least a segment of a piezoelectric stack portion. The piezoelectric stack portion may include a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer over the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer over the piezoelectric layer. The free region may include at least a segment of a mechanical portion. The piezoelectric stack portion may overlap the mechanical portion at edges of the piezoelectric stack portion.