Abstract: A layer system especially for forming SAW devices thereon is proposed comprising a monocrystalline sapphire substrate having a first surface and a crystalline piezoelectric layer comprising MN, deposited onto the first surface, and having a second surface. As a first surface a crystallographic R-plane of sapphire is used enabling an orientation of c-axis of the piezoelectric layer parallel to the first and second surfaces.

Abstract: A transducer of the preferred embodiment including a transducer and a plurality of adjacent, tapered cantilevered beams. Each of the beams define a beam base, a beam tip, and a beam body disposed between the beam base and the beam tip. The beams are arranged such that each of the beam tips extends toward a common area. Each beam is joined to the substrate along the beam base and is free from the substrate along the beam body. A preferred method of manufacturing a transducer can include: depositing alternating layers of piezoelectric and electrode onto the substrate in block, processing the deposited layers to define cantilever geometry in block, depositing metal traces in block, and releasing the cantilevered beams from the substrate in block.

Abstract: A piezoelectric ceramic containing no lead as a constituent element is provided. Coefficient of variation C.V. of grain size of grains contained in the piezoelectric ceramic is 35% or less, and an image quality (IQ) image obtained by analyzing a cross section of the piezoelectric ceramic by an electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) method shows that at least one of the grains has a grain size of 3 ?m to 5 ?m and an area ratio of a domain in said at least one of the grains is 85% or more.

Abstract: A miniature fluid actuator is disclosed and includes a substrate, a chamber layer, a carrying layer and a piezoelectric assembly. The substrate has an inlet. The chamber layer is formed on the substrate and includes a first chamber in communication with the inlet, a resonance layer and a second chamber. The resonance layer has a central aperture in communication between the first chamber and the second chamber. The carrying layer includes a fixed region formed on the chamber layer, a vibration region, a connection portion and a vacant. The vibration region is located at a center of the fixed region and corresponding to the second chamber. The connection portion is connected between the fixed region and the vibration region. The vacant is formed among the fixed region, the vibration region and the connection portion. The piezoelectric assembly is formed on the vibration region.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for fabricating 3D piezoelectric materials. In one aspect, a method includes photopolymerizing a selected portion of a two dimensional plane in a sample of a photolabile polymer solution containing piezoelectric nanoparticles to form a layer of a piezoelectric material, the photopolymerizing including directing light from a light source based on a pattern design in the selected portion of the photolabile polymer solution; and moving one or both of the sample and the directed light to photopolymerize another selected portion of another two dimensional plane in the sample to form another layer of the piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A multilayer actuator includes a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode, and an electroactive layer disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode. The multilayer actuator further includes a primary antireflective coating overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode opposite the electroactive layer, a secondary antireflective coating overlapping at least a portion of the secondary electrode opposite the electroactive layer, and a barrier layer overlapping the secondary antireflective coating opposite the secondary electrode.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to circuitry for driving a piezoelectric transducer. The circuitry may be implemented as an integrated circuit and comprises driver circuitry configured to supply a drive signal to the piezoelectric transducer to cause the transducer to generate an output signal and active inductor circuitry configured to be coupled with the piezoelectric transducer. The active inductor circuitry may be tuneable to adjust a frequency characteristic of the output signal.

Abstract: An ultrasonic Lamb wave transducer for non-invasive measurement and for emitting and/or receiving an ultrasonic Lamb wave pulse, an emission and a reception of the ultrasonic Lamb wave having an emission direction and a reception direction, respectively, the ultrasonic Lamb wave pulse being defined by at least one parameter, includes: at least one piezocomposite actuator for controlling the emission direction of the ultrasonic Lamb wave by emitting acoustic radiation at frequencies that are appropriate for generating ultrasonic Lamb waves.

Abstract: A sound producing device in which an adhesive layer between a piezoelectric element and a metal plate has sufficient electrical conductivity includes: a metal plate; a piezoelectric ceramic including a first adhesion surface, the first adhesion surface being a surface bonded to the metal plate; an alternating current power supply that applies an alternating voltage to the piezoelectric ceramic; and an adhesive layer formed from conductive adhesive and thermosetting adhesive which are spread over the first adhesion surface, the conductive adhesive being applied in a center portion of the first adhesion surface and the thermosetting adhesive being applied at three or more locations in a periphery of the first adhesion surface. An adhesion surface of the metal plate that is bonded to the piezoelectric ceramic is a second adhesion surface, and the first adhesion surface and the second adhesion surface are bonded together by the adhesive layer.

Abstract: A hybrid structure for a surface acoustic wave device comprises a useful layer of piezoelectric material having a first free surface and a second surface disposed on a support substrate that has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the useful layer, wherein the useful layer comprises an area of nanocavities.

Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric stack, including: a substrate; an electrode film; and a piezoelectric film which is comprised of alkali niobium oxide of a perovskite structure represented by a composition formula of (K1-xNax)NbO3 (0<x<1), wherein the piezoelectric film comprises crystals having a grain size with a standard deviation of 0.42 ?m or less.

Abstract: A film structure includes a substrate (11) which is a silicon substrate including an upper surface (11a) composed of a (100) plane, an alignment film (12) which is formed on the upper surface (11a) and includes a zirconium oxide film which has a cubic crystal structure and is (100)-oriented, and a conductive film (13) which is formed on the alignment film (12) and includes a platinum film which has a cubic crystal structure and is (100)-oriented. An average interface roughness of an interface (IF1) between the alignment film (12) and the conductive film (13) is greater than an average interface roughness of an interface (IF2) between the substrate (11) and the alignment film (12).

Abstract: A method for producing a layer of composition AA?BO3, wherein A consists of at least one element selected from the group consisting of: Li, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Ba, Sr, Pb, La, Bi, Y, Dy, Gd, Tb, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Ho, Zr, Sc, Ag and Tl, and B consists of at least one element selected from the group consisting of: Nb, Ta, Sb, Ti, Zr, Sn, Ru, Fe, V, Sc, C, Ga, Al, Si, Mn, Zr and Tl, is described. The method includes providing a donor substrate of composition ABO3, forming a layer of composition ABO3 by thinning the donor substrate, and exposing the layer of composition ABO3 to a medium containing ions of an element A? belonging to the same list of elements as A, A? being different from A, such that the ions penetrate into the layer of composition ABO3 to form the layer of composition AA?BO3.

Abstract: The disclosed flexible vibrotactile devices may include a dielectric support material, at least one flexible electroactive element coupled to the dielectric support material, a first conductive electrode material, and a second conductive electrode material. The dielectric support material may include at least one hole therethrough for securing the flexible vibrotactile device to a textile by threading at least one fiber through the at least one hole. Various other related methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A multilayer piezoelectric element includes a ceramic body formed by a piezoelectric ceramic, and having first and second end face facing a longitudinal direction, first and second principal faces facing a thickness direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A pair of external electrodes cover the first and second end faces, extend from the first and second end faces onto the first principal face via ridge parts connecting the end faces with the principal faces, and project in the thickness direction on the first principal face. Multiple internal electrodes are stacked inside the ceramic body and are connected alternately to the pair of external electrodes along the thickness direction. A surface electrode is provided on at least one of the first and second principal faces, and connected to the external electrode different from the one to which the internal electrode adjacent in the thickness direction is connected.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a piezoelectric device is provided. The piezoelectric device includes a semiconductor substrate. A first electrode is disposed over the semiconductor substrate. A piezoelectric structure is disposed on the first electrode. A second electrode is disposed on the piezoelectric structure. A heating element is disposed over the semiconductor substrate. The heating element is configured to heat the piezoelectric structure to a recovery temperature for a period of time, where heating the piezoelectric structure to the recovery temperature for the period of time improves a degraded electrical property of the piezoelectric device.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a piezoelectric substrate which includes a first piezoelectric body having an elongated shape and helically wound in one direction, and which does not include a core material, in which the first piezoelectric body includes a helical chiral polymer (A) having an optical activity; in which the length direction of the first piezoelectric body is substantially parallel to the main direction of orientation of the helical chiral polymer (A) included in the first piezoelectric body; and in which the first piezoelectric body has a degree of orientation F, as measured by X-ray diffraction according to the following Equation (a), within the range of 0.5 or more but less than 1.0: degree of orientation F=(180°??)/180°??(a) (in which ? represents the half-value width of the peak derived from the orientation).

Abstract: An ultrasonic oscillator unit including an ultrasonic oscillator array in which a plurality of ultrasonic oscillators are arranged; an electrode part having a plurality of electrodes electrically connected to the plurality of ultrasonic oscillators, respectively; a circular-arc backing material layer disposed on a rear surface of the ultrasonic oscillator array; three or more wiring boards electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes of the electrode part; and three or more connectors to which a plurality of cables are connected, respectively. The three or more wiring boards are respectively mounted to the three or more connectors and electrically connect the plurality of electrodes of the electrode part to the plurality of cables. The three or more connectors are arranged on a rear surface side of the backing material layer in a width direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a flexible electric generator and methods for fabricating the same. The flexible electric generator comprises a flexible triboelectric layer covering the electrode layer of a flexible piezoelectric generator that enhances output power by combining piezoelectric effect and triboelectric effect. The reliability of the flexible electric generator under bending is also improved due to the presence of the flexible triboelectric layer. The fabrication methods of the disclosed flexible electric generators are simple, thereby enabling large-scale manufacturing.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device has a layered structure in which at least a first electrode, a plastic layer, an orientation control layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode are stacked, wherein the orientation control layer is amorphous, and the piezoelectric layer with a thickness of 20 nm to 250 nm is provided over the orientation control layer, the piezoelectric layer having a wurtzite crystal structure, and wherein the orientation control layer and the piezoelectric layer are provided between the first electrode and the second electrode.