Patents by Inventor Xin-Shan Li

Xin-Shan Li has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8591011
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode film disposed on a substrate, a piezoelectric layer 70 disposed on the lower electrode film, a upper electrode film 80 disposed on the piezoelectric layer 70, wherein the piezoelectric layer 70 is formed of a plurality of columnar grains 70a, and the upper electrode film 80 conforms to the surface shape of each of the grains 70a of the piezoelectric layer 70.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Shimada, Xin-shan Li
  • Patent number: 8474139
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a liquid ejecting head, the method including forming a piezoelectric element having a width in a reference direction longer than a width in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the reference direction on a first substrate, and adhering a second substrate to a surface of the first substrate opposed to the piezoelectric element at a temperature higher than a normal temperature, wherein, in the adhering of the second substrate, the second substrate is adhered such that the first direction of the second substrate is adjusted to the reference direction, using a first thermal expansion coefficient in a first direction on an adhesion surface with the first substrate greater than a second thermal expansion coefficient in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and the first thermal expansion coefficient greater than a thermal expansion coefficient of the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Xin-shan Li
  • Patent number: 8397358
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a liquid ejecting head, the method including forming a piezoelectric element having a width in a reference direction longer than a width in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the reference direction on a first substrate, and adhering a second substrate to a surface of the first substrate opposed to the piezoelectric element at a temperature lower than a normal temperature, wherein, in the adhering of the second substrate, the second substrate is adhered such that the first direction of the second substrate is adjusted to the reference direction, using a first thermal expansion coefficient in a first direction on an adhesion surface with the first substrate, the first thermal expansion coefficient is less than a second thermal expansion coefficient in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and the first thermal expansion coefficient is less than a thermal expansion coefficient of the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Xin-shan Li
  • Patent number: 8366248
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode film disposed on a substrate, a piezoelectric layer 70 disposed on the lower electrode film, a upper electrode film 80 disposed on the piezoelectric layer 70, wherein the piezoelectric layer 70 is formed of a plurality of columnar grains 70a, and the upper electrode film 80 conforms to the surface shape of each of the grains 70a of the piezoelectric layer 70.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Shimada, Xin-Shan Li
  • Patent number: 8210659
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: pressure generation chambers which communicate with nozzle orifices; and piezoelectric elements which induce pressure change in the pressure generation chambers and each include a first electrode, a piezoelectric body layer formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the side opposite to the first electrode of the piezoelectric body layer, wherein the piezoelectric body layer includes two dielectric films having the substantially same interstitial distance and an intervening layer provided between the two dielectric films and having a different interstitial distance from that of the dielectric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Xin-shan Li
  • Patent number: 8197035
    Abstract: An actuator device includes a piezoelectric element including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode that are displaceably provided in sequence on a substrate. The lower electrode includes a flat center portion and an inclined end portion that descends toward the substrate. The piezoelectric layer is disposed above the lower electrode and the substrate, and includes a first, second, and third piezoelectric layer portion constituted by a plurality of columnar crystals. The columnar crystals of the first and second piezoelectric layer portions are orthogonal to the flat portion of the lower electrode and surface of the substrate, while the columnar crystals of the third piezoelectric layer portion extend orthogonally from a surface of the inclined portion and bend to be orthogonal to the surface of the upper electrode, giving the grains of the columnar crystals of the third piezoelectric layer portion larger widths and increased stress resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Xin-Shan Li
  • Patent number: 8007080
    Abstract: Provided is an actuator device including a piezoelectric element formed of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode, and displaceably provided on a substrate with a zirconium oxide layer interposed therebetween, the substrate having a silicon oxide layer formed by thermal oxidation on at least a surface, and an intermediate layer made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of titanium oxide, hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, and rare earth oxide, and provided between the silicon oxide layer and the zirconium oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Xin-Shan Li
  • Publication number: 20110205311
    Abstract: An actuator device includes a piezoelectric element including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode that are displaceably provided in sequence on a substrate. The lower electrode includes a flat center portion and an inclined end portion that descends toward the substrate. The piezoelectric layer is disposed above the lower electrode and the substrate, and includes a first, second, and third piezoelectric layer portion constituted by a plurality of columnar crystals. The columnar crystals of the first and second piezoelectric layer portions are orthogonal to the flat portion of the lower electrode and surface of the substrate, while the columnar crystals of the third piezoelectric layer portion extend orthogonally from a surface of the inclined portion and bend to be orthogonal to the surface of the upper electrode, giving the grains of the columnar crystals of the third piezoelectric layer portion larger widths and increased stress resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Xin-Shan LI
  • Patent number: 7950783
    Abstract: An actuator device includes a piezoelectric element including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode that are displaceably provided in sequence on a substrate. The lower electrode includes a flat center portion and an inclined end portion that descends toward the substrate. The piezoelectric layer is disposed above the lower electrode and the substrate, and includes a first, second, and third piezoelectric layer portion constituted by a plurality of columnar crystals. The columnar crystals of the first and second piezoelectric layer portions are orthogonal to the flat portion of the lower electrode and surface of the substrate, while the columnar crystals of the third piezoelectric layer portion extend orthogonally from a surface of the inclined portion and bend to be orthogonal to the surface of the upper electrode, giving the grains of the columnar crystals of the third piezoelectric layer portion larger widths and increased stress resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Xin-Shan Li
  • Patent number: 7891065
    Abstract: In a step of forming a piezoelectric precursor film, an application solution is applied onto each of flow passage forming substrate wafers to form piezoelectric precursor films one by one on each of the plurality of flow passage forming substrate wafers constituting a flow passage forming substrate wafer group, and an order of the flow passage forming substrate wafers for starting the application of the application solution to be turned into each of the piezoelectric precursor films is varied by the predetermined number of wafers of the flow passage forming substrate wafer group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Xin-shan Li
  • Patent number: 7882607
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an actuator device includes forming a Zr layer on one surface of a substrate, forming a ZrO2 layer by oxidizing the Zr layer, forming a lower electrode on top of the ZrO2 layer, forming a piezoelectric layer on top of the lower electrode, and forming an upper electrode on top of the piezoelectric layer. In the method, in forming the Zr layer, the Zr layer is formed through crystal growth of Zr, and the Zr layer thus formed has special crystal regions that protrude from the opposite surface of the Zr layer from the substrate. Each special crystal region has a height of 10 to 100 nm and a diameter of 0.1 to 1 ?m when viewed from above, and the special crystal regions exist with a density of 1.0×106 to 1.0×103/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Xin-Shan Li
  • Patent number: 7827658
    Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing an actuator device including a substrate, a vibration plate, lower electrode, and a piezoelectric element having a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode. The vibration plate is formed by forming an insulating film comprised of a columnar crystalline zirconium layer whose surface has an average crystal grain size of about 20 to 50 nm on one surface the substrate, and then thermally oxidizing the zirconium layer into a columnar crystalline zirconium oxide layer whose surface has an average crystal grain size of about 20 to 50 nm. The zirconium layer shows an XRD pattern having a (002) plane peak with an FWHM of 0.4 or less. The piezoelectric element is formed on the lower electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Xin-Shan Li
  • Publication number: 20100245488
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a liquid ejecting head, the method including forming a piezoelectric element having a width in a reference direction longer than a width in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the reference direction on a first substrate, and adhering a second substrate to a surface of the first substrate opposed to the piezoelectric element at a temperature lower than a normal temperature, wherein, in the adhering of the second substrate, the second substrate is adhered such that the first direction of the second substrate is adjusted to the reference direction, using a first thermal expansion coefficient in a first direction on an adhesion surface with the first substrate less than a second thermal expansion coefficient in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and the first thermal expansion coefficient less than a thermal expansion coefficient of the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Xin-shan LI
  • Publication number: 20100245492
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a liquid ejecting head, the method including forming a piezoelectric element having a width in a reference direction longer than a width in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the reference direction on a first substrate, and adhering a second substrate to a surface of the first substrate opposed to the piezoelectric element at a temperature higher than a normal temperature, wherein, in the adhering of the second substrate, the second substrate is adhered such that the first direction of the second substrate is adjusted to the reference direction, using a first thermal expansion coefficient in a first direction on an adhesion surface with the first substrate greater than a second thermal expansion coefficient in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and the first thermal expansion coefficient greater than a thermal expansion coefficient of the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Xin-shan LI
  • Publication number: 20100201757
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode film disposed on a substrate, a piezoelectric layer 70 disposed on the lower electrode film, a upper electrode film 80 disposed on the piezoelectric layer 70, wherein the piezoelectric layer 70 is formed of a plurality of columnar grains 70a, and the upper electrode film 80 conforms to the surface shape of each of the grains 70a of the piezoelectric layer 70.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato SHIMADA, Xin-Shan LI
  • Publication number: 20100141714
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: pressure generation chambers which communicate with nozzle orifices; and piezoelectric elements which induce pressure change in the pressure generation chambers and each include a first electrode, a piezoelectric body layer formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the side opposite to the first electrode of the piezoelectric body layer, wherein the piezoelectric body layer includes two dielectric films having the substantially same interstitial distance and an intervening layer provided between the two dielectric films and having a different interstitial distance from that of the dielectric film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Xin-shan LI
  • Patent number: 7731339
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode film disposed on a substrate, a piezoelectric layer 70 disposed on the lower electrode film, a upper electrode film 80 disposed on the piezoelectric layer 70, wherein the piezoelectric layer 70 is formed of a plurality of columnar grains 70a, and the upper electrode film 80 conforms to the surface shape of each of the grains 70a of the piezoelectric layer 70.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Shimada, Xin-Shan Li
  • Patent number: 7725996
    Abstract: A method for producing an actuator device, comprising the steps of: forming a vibration plate on a substrate; and forming a piezoelectric element composed of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode on the vibration plate, wherein in the step of forming the piezoelectric element, the upper electrode is formed on the piezoelectric layer by sputtering, a temperature of 25 to 250 (° C.) and a pressure of 0.4 to 1.5 (Pa) are used during the sputtering, and upon the sputtering, the upper electrode having a thickness of 30 to 100 (nm), stress of 0.3 to 2.0 (GPa), and specific resistance of 2.0 (×10?7 ?·m) or less is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Xin-Shan Li, Tsutomu Nishiwaki
  • Publication number: 20090213190
    Abstract: In a step of heating a piezoelectric precursor film, piezoelectric films are formed one by one on each of plurality of flow passage forming substrate wafers constituting a flow passage forming substrate wafer group, and an order of the flow passage forming substrate wafers for starting the heating of the piezoelectric precursor film is varied by the predetermined number of wafers of the flow passage forming substrate wafer group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Xin-shan Li
  • Publication number: 20090205180
    Abstract: In a step of forming a piezoelectric precursor film, an application solution is applied onto each of flow passage forming substrate wafers to form piezoelectric precursor films one by one on each of the plurality of flow passage forming substrate wafers constituting a flow passage forming substrate wafer group, and an order of the flow passage forming substrate wafers for starting the application of the application solution to be turned into each of the piezoelectric precursor films is varied by the predetermined number of wafers of the flow passage forming substrate wafer group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Xin-shan Li