Abstract: In sputter etching to improve the adhesion between upper electrodes and lead electrodes, the sputter etching of surfaces of the upper electrodes under an Ar gas flow at a flow rate of 60 sccm or more can reduce the residence time of Ar ions on the surfaces of the upper electrodes because of the Ar gas flow. This can prevent the charging of the upper electrodes due to the buildup of ionized Ar gas on the surfaces, reduce the influence of charging on piezoelectric elements, and provide a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator that includes the piezoelectric elements each including a piezoelectric layer having small variations in hysteresis characteristics and deformation characteristics.

Abstract: In sputter etching to improve the adhesion between upper electrodes and lead electrodes, the sputter etching of surfaces of the upper electrodes under an Ar gas flow at a flow rate of 60 sccm or more can reduce the residence time of Ar ions on the surfaces of the upper electrodes because of the Ar gas flow. This can prevent the charging of the upper electrodes due to the buildup of ionized Ar gas on the surfaces, reduce the influence of charging on piezoelectric elements, and provide a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator that includes the piezoelectric elements each including a piezoelectric layer having small variations in hysteresis characteristics and deformation characteristics.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a dielectric film includes a coating step of coating sol made of an organic metal compound and forming a dielectric precursor film, a drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film, a degreasing step of degreasing the dielectric precursor film, and a baking step of baking the dielectric precursor film to form a dielectric film. The drying step includes a first drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film by heating the dielectric precursor film to a temperature lower than a boiling point of a solvent which is a main solvent of the sol and then holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a predetermined period of time, and a second drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film further by reheating the dielectric precursor film and then holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A liquid jet head includes a flow passage forming substrate formed of a crystal substrate provided with a pressure generating chamber communicating with nozzle openings, and a piezoelectric element including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode, which are provided on the flow passage forming substrate to change pressure in the pressure generating chamber. The piezoelectric layer has a thickness of 5 ?m or less and is formed of perovskite type crystals, and the distance between a diffraction peak position A of an X-ray derived from a surface (220) of the flow passage forming substrate and a diffraction peak position B of an X-ray derived from a surface (100) of the piezoelectric layer is within the range of 2?=25.487±0.1°.

Abstract: A liquid jet head has a channel-forming substrate composed of a crystal substrate having a pressure-generating chamber linked to a nozzle opening as well as a piezoelectric element composed of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode and formed on the channel-forming substrate so that the pressure in the pressure-generating chamber can be changed, with the piezoelectric layer having a thickness equal to or smaller than 5 ?m, made of a perovskite-type crystal, and formed so that the interval between the X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (220) plane of the channel-forming substrate and the X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (111) plane of the piezoelectric layer falls within the range 2?=9.059±0.1°.

Abstract: A liquid jet head includes a passage-forming substrate composed of a crystal substrate provided with pressure-generating chambers communicating with nozzle orifices and piezoelectric elements disposed on the passage-forming substrate and each composed of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric material layer, and an upper electrode to cause a change of pressure in the pressure-generating chamber. The piezoelectric material layer has a thickness of 5 ?m or less and is made of a perovskite-type crystal and is configured such that the distance between an X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (220) plane of the passage-forming substrate and an X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (110) plane of the piezoelectric material layer is within a range of 2?=16.262±0.1 degrees.

Abstract: A method for producing a dielectric film, comprising: a coating step of coating a colloidal solution containing an organometallic compound containing a metal constituting a dielectric film containing at least a lead component to form a dielectric precursor film; a drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film; a degreasing step of degreasing the dielectric precursor film; and a sintering step of sintering the dielectric precursor film to form a dielectric film, and wherein the drying step includes a first drying step of heating the dielectric precursor film to a temperature lower than the boiling point of a solvent, which is a main solvent of the material, and holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a certain period of time to dry the dielectric precursor film, and a second drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film at a temperature in the range of 140° C. to 170° C., the degreasing step is performed at a degreasing temperature of 350° C. to 450° C.

Abstract: A method for producing a dielectric film, comprising: a coating step of coating a colloidal solution containing an organometallic compound containing a metal constituting a dielectric film containing at least a lead component to form a dielectric precursor film; a drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film; a degreasing step of degreasing the dielectric precursor film; and a firing step of firing the dielectric precursor film to form a dielectric film, and wherein the drying step includes a first drying step of heating the dielectric precursor film to a temperature lower than the boiling point of a solvent, which is a main solvent of the material, and holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a certain period of time to dry the dielectric precursor film, and a second drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film at a temperature in the range of 140° C., to 170° C., the degreasing step is performed at a degreasing temperature of 350° C. to 450° C.

Abstract: A liquid jet head includes a flow passage forming substrate formed of a crystal substrate provided with a pressure generating chamber communicating with nozzle openings, and a piezoelectric element including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode, which are provided on the flow passage forming substrate to change pressure in the pressure generating chamber. The piezoelectric layer has a thickness of 5 ?m or less and is formed of perovskite type crystals, and the distance between a diffraction peak position A of an X-ray derived from a surface (220) of the flow passage forming substrate and a diffraction peak position B of an X-ray derived from a surface (100) of the piezoelectric layer is within the range of 2?=25.487±0.1°.

Abstract: A liquid jet head has a channel-forming substrate composed of a crystal substrate having a pressure-generating chamber linked to a nozzle opening as well as a piezoelectric element composed of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode and formed on the channel-forming substrate so that the pressure in the pressure-generating chamber can be changed, with the piezoelectric layer having a thickness equal to or smaller than 5 ?m, made of a perovskite-type crystal, and formed so that the interval between the X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (220) plane of the channel-forming substrate and the X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (111) plane of the piezoelectric layer falls within the range 2?=9.059±0.1°.

Abstract: A liquid jet head includes a passage-forming substrate composed of a crystal substrate provided with pressure-generating chambers communicating with nozzle orifices and piezoelectric elements disposed on the passage-forming substrate and each composed of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric material layer, and an upper electrode to cause a change of pressure in the pressure-generating chamber. The piezoelectric material layer has a thickness of 5 ?m or less and is made of a perovskite-type crystal and is configured such that the distance between an X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (220) plane of the passage-forming substrate and an X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (110) plane of the piezoelectric material layer is within a range of 2?=16.262±0.1 degrees.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a dielectric film includes a coating step of coating sol made of an organic metal compound and forming a dielectric precursor film, a drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film, a degreasing step of degreasing the dielectric precursor film, and a baking step of baking the dielectric precursor film to form a dielectric film. The drying step includes a first drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film by heating the dielectric precursor film to a temperature lower than a boiling point of a solvent which is a main solvent of the sol and then holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a predetermined period of time, and a second drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film further by reheating the dielectric precursor film and then holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: Disclosed are a piezoelectric element which can obtain a large strain with a low drive voltage, a liquid-jet head and a liquid-jet apparatus. The piezoelectric element includes: a lower electrode; an upper electrode; and a piezoelectric film which is made of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), and which has perovskite crystals having priority orientations of the (100) plane, the piezoelectric film being interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode. In the piezoelectric element, an X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (100) planes of the piezoelectric film is within a range of 2?=21.79 to 21.88.

Abstract: A method for producing a dielectric film, comprising: a coating step of coating a colloidal solution containing an organometallic compound containing a metal constituting a dielectric film containing at least a lead component to form a dielectric precursor film; a drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film; a degreasing step of degreasing the dielectric precursor film; and a firing step of firing the dielectric precursor film to form a dielectric film, and wherein the drying step includes a first drying step of heating the dielectric precursor film to a temperature lower than the boiling point of a solvent, which is a main solvent of the material, and holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a certain period of time to dry the dielectric precursor film, and a second drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film at a temperature in the range of 140° C. to 170° C., the degreasing step is performed at a degreasing temperature of 350° C. to 450° C.

Abstract: A data transfer control device includes an OTG (state) controller which controls a plurality of states including a host operation state and a peripheral operation state, a host controller which is connected with a transceiver during the host operation, a peripheral controller which is connected with the transceiver during the peripheral operation, a register section including transfer condition registers which are used commonly during the host operation and the peripheral operation, and a buffer controller which controls access to a packet buffer used commonly by the host controller and the peripheral controller. Pipe regions PIPE0 to PIPEe are allocated in the packet buffer during the host operation, and endpoint regions EP0 to EPe are allocated in the packet buffer during the peripheral operation.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a dielectric film includes a coating step of coating sol made of an organic metal compound and forming a dielectric precursor film, a drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film, a degreasing step of degreasing the dielectric precursor film, and a baking step of baking the dielectric precursor film to form a dielectric film. The drying step includes a first drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film by heating the dielectric precursor film to a temperature lower than a boiling point of a solvent which is a main solvent of the sol and then holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a predetermined period of time, and a second drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film further by reheating the dielectric precursor film and then holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a liquid jet head having increased the durability and reliability thereof by preventing delamination of a vibration plate is provided. At least the following two steps are included: a vibration plate forming step which includes at least a step of forming a zirconium layer on one side of a passage-forming substrate by sputtering so that a degrees of orientation to a (002) plane of the surface becomes equal to 80% or more, as well as forming an insulation film made of zirconium oxide and constituting a part of the vibration plate by subjecting the zirconium layer to thermal oxidation; and a piezoelectric element forming step of forming piezoelectric elements on the vibration plate.

Abstract: Pipe regions PIPE0 to PIPEe (or endpoint regions) are allocated in a packet buffer, registers in which are set page sizes MPS0 to MPe (maximum packet size) and numbers of pages BP0 to BPe for the pipe regions are provided, and data is transferred between pipe regions and endpoints, region sizes RS0 to RSe of the pipe regions being set by the page sizes and numbers of pages. The page sizes and numbers of pages are set in registers that are used in common during both host operation and peripheral operation in accordance with the USB on-the-go standard. Transfer condition information such as transfer types TT0 to TTe is set in the registers, transactions with respect to the endpoints are automatically issued, and data is automatically transferred. Pipe regions are allocated in the packet buffer during host operation whereas endpoint regions are allocated during peripheral operation.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a liquid jet head having increased the durability and reliability thereof by preventing delamination of a vibration plate is provided. At least the following two steps are included: a vibration plate forming step which includes at least a step of forming a zirconium layer on one side of a passage-forming substrate by sputtering so that a degrees of orientation to a (002) plane of the surface becomes equal to 80% or more, as well as forming an insulation film made of zirconium oxide and constituting a part of the vibration plate by subjecting the zirconium layer to thermal oxidation; and a piezoelectric element forming step of forming piezoelectric elements on the vibration plate.

Abstract: A data transfer control device including: a buffer controller which allocates a plurality of pipe regions in a packet buffer and controls access to the packet buffer; and a transfer controller which controls data transfer between the pipe regions and corresponding endpoints. The transfer controller performs processing of pausing data transfer between the pipe regions and the endpoints, the buffer controller performs reconstruction processing which includes at least one of deletion, addition, and size change of the pipe regions after the completion of the pause processing, and then the transfer controller resumes the paused data transfer after the reconstruction processing of the pipe regions. Data in the pipe regions before the reconstruction processing is copied to the pipe regions after the reconstruction processing while preventing the data from being erased.