In a piezoelectric element, shift of a resonance point to a low-pitched sound side is achieved. A resonance point of a piezoelectric element moves to a low-pitched sound side when an active region is configured to be surrounded by an inactive region as in the configuration of the piezoelectric element. According to the piezoelectric element whose resonance point is moved to a low-pitched sound side, the piezoelectric element can realize a sound pressure that is sufficiently high for practical use when it is applied to an acoustic device.

The present invention relates to a method for producing piezoelectric multi-layered components (2), which comprises the following steps: applying an electrode material (5) to green sheets (3) containing a piezoelectric material, applying a layer of a first auxiliary material (9) to at least one green sheet (3) containing the piezoelectric material, forming a stack (1), in which the green sheets (3), to which electrode material (5) is applied, are arranged one on top of another, wherein at least one ply of the green sheet (3), to which the layer of the first auxiliary material (9) is applied, is arranged in the stack (1), sintering the stack (1), wherein the layer of the first auxiliary material (9) is thinned, and firing the stack (1), wherein the stack (1) is singulated along the at least one ply into at least two multi-layered components (2).

Provided is a laminated piezoelectric element capable of suppressing a short circuit between piezoelectric films in a laminated piezoelectric element in which a plurality of layers of a piezoelectric film formed by interposing a piezoelectric layer between an electrode layer and a protective layer are laminated. The laminated piezoelectric element is formed by laminating a plurality of layers of piezoelectric films each having a piezoelectric layer, two electrode layers between which the piezoelectric layer is interposed, and two protective layers respectively covering the electrode layers. At least a part of each end side of the adjacent piezoelectric films is located at a different position in a plane direction.

A transducer includes a first piezoelectric layer; and a second piezoelectric layer that is above the first piezoelectric layer; wherein the second piezoelectric layer is a more compressive layer with an average stress that is less than or more compressive than an average stress of the first piezoelectric layer.

A piezoelectric microelectromechanical system microphone comprises a piezoelectric element configured to deform and generate an electrical potential responsive to impingement of sound waves on the piezoelectric element, a sensing electrode disposed on the piezoelectric element and configured to sense the electrical potential, and a dummy electrode electrically unconnected to the sensing electrode and disposed on a portion of the piezoelectric element that is free of the sensing electrode, the dummy electrode configured to reduce static deformation of the piezoelectric element caused by residual stresses in the piezoelectric element.

A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric body layer, a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a conductor. The piezoelectric body layer has rectangular first and second principal surfaces opposing each other, and includes a piezoelectric material. The first electrode is provided on the first principal surface. The second electrode is provided on the first principal surface in such a way that the second electrode is separated from the first electrode. The third electrode is provided on the second principal surface in such a way that the third electrode opposes the first electrode. The conductor is connected to the second electrode and the third electrode. The first electrode has a round corner being rounder than a corner part of the piezoelectric body layer when seen in an opposing direction of the first and second principal surfaces.

Provided is a method for producing a piezoelectric element in which a piezoelectric body substrate piece is subjected to polarization treatment and a piezoelectric element is produced. The method includes a first step in which the piezoelectric body substrate piece is held on a flat plate-shaped slightly adhesive sheet and a second step in which voltage is applied to the piezoelectric body substrate piece held on the slightly adhesive sheet and the piezoelectric body substrate piece is subjected to polarization treatment.

An optical element includes a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode, and an electrostrictive ceramic layer disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, where the electrostrictive ceramic may be characterized by a relative density of at least approximately 99%, an average grain size of at least approximately 300 nm, a transmissivity within the visible spectrum of at least approximately 70%, and bulk haze of less than approximately 10%. Optical properties of the electrostrictive ceramic may be substantially unchanged during the application of a voltage to the electrostrictive ceramic layer and the attendant actuation of the optical element.

A multilayer piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric body containing a piezoelectric ceramic material, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The piezoelectric body includes a first main surface and a second main surface opposing each other. The first electrode includes an external electrode formed on the first main surface. The second electrode includes an internal electrode formed inside the piezoelectric body to oppose the external electrode. The piezoelectric body includes an active region between the external electrode and the internal electrode, and includes an inactive region opposite to the active region with the internal electrode interposed therebetween. A stress received by the piezoelectric body from the external electrode is larger than a stress received by the piezoelectric body from the internal electrode. A polarization direction of the active region is a direction directed from the external electrode to the internal electrode.

An object of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectric element capable of improving the sound pressure particularly in a high frequency band by decreasing the impedance in a case of being used as an electroacoustic transducer or the like, and a piezoelectric speaker formed of a piezoelectric film. The object can be achieved by using a piezoelectric film in which a piezoelectric layer containing piezoelectric particles in a polymer matrix is sandwiched between electrode layers, a planar shape is a polygon, the piezoelectric film has a protruding portion protruding from a side of a polygon other that a shortest side, and the protruding portion is provided with connecting portions for connecting an external power supply and an electrode layer or identical connecting portions are provided in the vicinity of end portions on a side other than the shortest side.