Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator and a rotor. The stator has piezoelectric elements. When an alternating current having a predetermined frequency is applied to the piezoelectric elements, the elements axially vibrate. The stator axially vibrates in response to the axial vibration of the piezoelectric elements. The rotor includes projections arranged about its axis. The projections contact the stator. Each projection is designed and formed such that it torsionally vibrates independently in response to the axial vibration of the stator. As a result, a compact and high torque motor is produced.

Abstract: A slider assembly for selectively altering a position of a transducing head with respect to a track of a rotatable disc having a plurality of concentric tracks includes a slider body having a main portion and a head portion separated by a gap. The head portion carries the transducing head. The slider body is arranged to be supported by a support structure over a surface of the rotatable disc. A pair of structural elements are disposed on opposite side surfaces of the slider body between the main portion and the head portion across the gap. At least one of the structural elements is a microactuator responsive to electrical control signals to selectively bend to alter the position of the head portion with respect to the main portion of the slider body. The structural elements may be complementary microactuators.

Abstract: An actuator scaled to macroscopic or microscopic sizes, uses ultrasonic energy to induce motion of an object in a desired direction. The actuator includes one or more pair of piezoelectric transducers connected with a transducer tip. Supplying the piezoelectric transducers with alternating current electrical power causes the tip to vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies. Urging the vibrating tip into contact with a surface on the object at a selected angle of inclination induces the object to move in the desired direction at a rate determined by the inclination angle. Multiple actuators can be used to induce a fall range of movements of variously shaped objects. In microscopic form, the actuator can be used to create a MEMS device. The optional application of a compliant material either on the transducer tip or on the object's surface enhances the movement induced by the actuator.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, magnetostrictive saw devices are provided with tunable transducer structures for enhanced performance. The transducers are in the form of patterned conductors disposed between magnetic films. The magnetostrictive response is tuned by adjusting the thickness of magnetic film overlying the conductive layer.

Abstract: Spiral, sparse spiral, substantially spiral or substantially sparse spiral transducer arrays comprising capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer elements disposed on a silicon substrate, and ultrasound imaging systems employing same. The transducer elements are respectively coupled to a plurality of amplifiers. Imager electronics are coupled to each of the amplifiers and drives the transducer elements and/or generates an output of the spiral transducer array. The amplifiers may be located in the silicon substrate containing the transducer elements, or on a separate substrate that is interconnected to the substrate containing the transducer elements using bumps, for example. Electrical interconnection to the transducer elements may readily be achieved without interfering with the acoustic output of the transducer elements.

Abstract: Piezoelectric material is embedded in epoxy layers of circuit cards to control thermal expansion and contraction as a function of temperature changes. A temperature sensor and thermostat generates a controlled voltage as a function of temperature and applies the voltage to piezoelectric blocks within the circuit card. Local areas of the circuit card can have different amounts of piezoelectric material or different thermostats. Piezoelectric blocks can be arranged in regular patterns or can be randomly or pseudo-randomly placed.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave reflector includes a piezoelectric substrate and a plurality of perturbation members arranged at a first period on the piezoelectric substrate. A plurality of free-surface regions where no perturbation members exist are formed in an arrangement of the perturbation members.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator that is capable of providing up to six degrees of positioning freedom. Specifically, the piezoelectric actuator is capable of providing positioning freedom in three linear directions (x, y, z) and three rotary angles (&phgr;, &thgr;, &psgr;). The piezoelectric actuator typically comprises a plurality of unit cells stacked on top of one another. Each unit cell comprises a base plate, a cruciform base, and a stack of piezoelectric plates. The base plate is used to support the cruciform base. The cruciform base comprises a piezoelectric cruciform-shaped body, a plurality of electrodes formed on the top surface of the cruciform-shaped body, and a ground plane formed on the bottom surface of the cruciform-shaped body. Each piezoelectric plate in the stack of piezoelectric plates comprises a piezoelectric plate body, a plurality of electrodes formed on the top surface of the plate body, and a ground plane formed on the bottom surface of the plate body.

Abstract: A miniature electrical relay including a piezoelectric actuating element where the piezoelectric actuating element includes a piezoelectric thin-film material sandwiched in between two metal electrode layers that function as piezoelectric electrodes. The metal electrode layers are connected to a positive and negative terminal, respectively, of a power source, which results in actuation of the piezoelectric actuating element. The piezoelectric actuating element is affixed to a deformable metal contact through an insulating layer, such that when actuated, the piezoelectric actuating element selectively deforms the deformable metal contact to cause the contact to move into or out of electrical and mechanical connection with a fixed metal contact.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer array (250) in which the piezoelectric layer (256) and the matching layer(s) (258) have different sub-dicing. In one embodiment, the piezoelectric layer (256) is diced only once and the matching layer(s) (258) is diced more than once. A resulting transducer shows improved bandwidth, crosstalk and noise performance.

Abstract: A quick acting bi-stable actuator having a piezoelectric trigger for moving the snap actuator past its snap over equilibrium that includes a stem that is mounted for axial reciprocation in a pair of bearings and a bi-stable snap over actuator centrally attached to the stem for movement therewith. The rim of the snap over actuator is loosely held within a cavity so that the snap over actuator is generally radially disposed with regard to the axis of the stem. A piezoelectric actuator is arranged to support the snap over actuator close to one of its snap over equilibrium positions and acts as a trigger when energized to move the snap over actuator past the critical equilibrium point whereby the snap over actuator moves rapidly to a second stable position. This, in turn, moves the stem axially from a first home position to an extended position to actuate a valve or the like.

Abstract: A multi-layer piezoelectric transformer (PT) is provided having an insulation layer having an input electroactive ceramic layer bonded to one of its major faces and an output electroactive ceramic layer bonded to its other major face. The input layer is electroded on both major faces and is poled in the thickness direction. The output layer has segmented electrodes patterned on its two opposing major faces and portions of the output layer are alternatingly poled in opposite directions across the output layer's thickness. The configuration of the poling and electrodes places adjacent portions of the output layer electrically in series.

Abstract: A vibrator of a vibratory gyroscope comprises a main arm having a base part and at least one bending-vibration piece extending from the base part in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction of the base part and a fixing part for fixing one end of the base part, and the base part and the bending-vibration piece are formed so as to extend substantially in a specified plane. Preferably, at the opposite side to one end of the base part, a projection projecting from the bending-vibration piece is provided, or at least a pair of resonant arms resonating with vibration of the base part, said pair of resonant arms projecting from the fixing part are provided. Thanks to this, it has been possible to detect a turning angular rate in a sufficiently high accuracy without providing a projection which has a certain weight and extends from the vibrator toward the axis of turning even in case of arranging the vibrator so that the vibration arm of the vibrator extends perpendicularly to the axis of turning.

Abstract: The piezoelectric transformer obtains large output powers by way of reducing the heat generation. The piezoelectric transformer includes one or more input parts and an output part. Each of the input parts is formed of alternately stacked piezoelectric sheets and internal electrodes. Each piezoelectric sheet has a first region on which the internal electrode is formed and a second region on which no internal electrode is formed. Each of the input parts includes means for reducing stress concentration around boundary regions between the first and the second regions.

Abstract: A piezoelectric component includes a substantially rectangular shaped piezoelectric element, a first elastic material covering at least a pair of end portions of the piezoelectric element, the pair of end portions including edge parts of the piezoelectric element, a second elastic material covering the entire piezoelectric element and the first elastic material, and an outer-cladding resin covering the whole circumference of the piezoelectric element which is covered with the second elastic material.

Abstract: A curved piezoelectric device is attached to a plate to vibrate the plate. Mass-loading is applied to at least one free end of the piezoelectric device to increase output.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/elecrostrictive device comprising a driving portion to be driven by a displacement of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element, a movable portion to be operated based on drive of the driving portion, and a fixing portion for holding the driving portion and the movable portion. Driving portion comprises a pair of thin plates facing each other, and a film-like piezoelectric/electrostrictive element formed on the outer surface of at least one thin plate of the thin plates, and the fixing portion is coupled with the movable portion via the driving portion, a hole is defined by an inner wall of the driving portion, an inner wall of the movable portion, and an inner wall of the fixing portion, and a ratio a/b of the thickness a of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive device and the width b of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive device is 0.5 to 20.

Abstract: A sapphire single crystal wafer 11 having a diameter not less than two inches and having an off-angled surface which is obtained by rotating an R (1-102) surface about an axis in a negative direction by a given off-angle not less than 2° is introduced in a CVD apparatus. While the sapphire substrate is kept at a temperature of about 950° C., a buffer layer made of gallium nitride or aluminum-gallium nitride is first deposited with an average thickness of 0.1-0.2 &mgr;m, and then an aluminum nitride single crystal layer is deposited with an average thickness not less than 2 &mgr;m. The thus obtained aluminum nitride single crystal layer does not have a significant amount of cracks, has an excellent piezoelectric property, and has a high propagating velocity.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an electromechanical actuator arrangement (10) and a method for driving such arrangement, having a plurality of drive elements (14a-d) according to a walking mechanism in a motion relative a body (22). A driving portion of the drive elements (14a-d) are independent movable tangentially and normally to the body (22) surface. The drive elements (14a-d) are driven in the fours cycle steps; gripping, moving the body, releasing and returning to the original position. The drive elements (14a-d) are divided into two exclusive sets. The driving of the sets is phase shifted. At least one of the sets is in contact with the body (22) surface at each instant. The present invention is characterised in that the driving of the drive elements (14a-d) during the gripping sequence is performed in such a way that the drive elements (14a-d) have a velocity, which has a significant tangential component.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/elecrostrictive device comprising a driving portion to be driven by a displacement of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element, a movable portion to be operated based on a drive of the driving portion, and a fixing portion for holding the driving portion and the movable portion. The driving portion comprises a pair of thin plate portions facing each other, and a film-like piezoelectric/electrostrictive element including at least a pair of electrode films and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film formed at least on the outer surface of at least one thin plate portion of the thin plate portions.