Abstract: A ceramic material that can exhibit sufficient compactness and lithium (Li) conductivity to enable the use thereof as a solid electrolyte material for a lithium secondary battery and the like is provided. The ceramic material contains aluminum (Al) and has a garnet-type crystal structure or a garnet-like crystal structure containing lithium (Li), lanthanum (La), zirconium (Zr) and oxygen (O).

Abstract: The present invention provides a ceramic material allowing a pellet having higher density and satisfactory Li ion conduction to be obtained. The ceramic material contains Li, La, Zr, Al and O and has a garnet-type or garnet-like crystal structure, the ratio of the number of moles of Li with respect to La being 2.0 or greater to 2.5 or lower.

Abstract: A ceramic material that can exhibit sufficient compactness and lithium (Li) conductivity to enable the use thereof as a solid electrolyte material for a lithium secondary battery and the like is provided. The ceramic material contains aluminum (Al) and has a garnet-type crystal structure or a garnet-like crystal structure containing lithium (Li), lanthanum (La), zirconium (Zr) and oxygen (O).

Abstract: A ceramic material that can exhibit sufficient compactness and lithium (Li) conductivity to enable the use thereof as a solid electrolyte material for a lithium secondary battery and the like is provided. The ceramic material contains aluminum (Al) and has a garnet-type crystal structure or a garnet-like crystal structure containing lithium (Li), lanthanum (La), zirconium (Zr) and oxygen (O).

Abstract: The present invention provides a ceramic material capable of demonstrating compactness and Li ion conductivity to an extent that enables the use of the ceramic material as a solid-state electrolyte material for a lithium secondary battery, or the like. A ceramic material containing Li, La, Zr, Nb and/or Ta, as well as O and having a garnet-type or garnet-like crystal structure is used.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ceramic material capable of demonstrating compactness and Li ion conductivity to an extent that enables the use of the ceramic material as a solid-state electrolyte material for a lithium secondary battery, or the like. A ceramic material containing Li, La, Zr, Nb and/or Ta, as well as O and having a garnet-type or garnet-like crystal structure is used.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ceramic material allowing a pellet having higher density and satisfactory Li ion conduction to be obtained. The ceramic material contains Li, La, Zr, Al and O and has a garnet-type or garnet-like crystal structure, the ratio of the number of moles of Li with respect to La being 2.0 or greater to 2.5 or lower.

Abstract: A ceramic material that can exhibit sufficient compactness and lithium (Li) conductivity to enable the use thereof as a solid electrolyte material for a lithium secondary battery and the like is provided. The ceramic material contains aluminum (Al) and has a garnet-type crystal structure or a garnet-like crystal structure containing lithium (Li), lanthanum (La), zirconium (Zr) and oxygen (O).

Abstract: There is realized a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device of a laminated type from which a large displacement is obtained and which is highly reliable over a long period. A laminated piezoelectric/electrostrictive device 1 has: a laminated columnar article 10 constituted by alternately laminating a plurality of piezoelectric/electrostrictive layers 14 and inner electrode layers 18, 19; and a pair of outer electrodes 28, 29 disposed on a peripheral surface of the laminated columnar article 10 to connect layers having the same polarity to each other among the inner electrode layers 18, 19. This laminated piezoelectric/electrostrictive device 1 is characterized in that interfaces 2a, 2b having a relatively low interface strength as compared with the other interfaces are disposed at a specific interval among the interfaces between layers of the laminated columnar article 10.

Abstract: There is realized a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device of a laminated type from which a large displacement is obtained and which is highly reliable over a long period. A laminated piezoelectric/electrostrictive device 1 has: a laminated columnar article 10 constituted by alternately laminating a plurality of piezoelectric/electrostrictive layers 14 and inner electrode layers 18, 19; and a pair of outer electrodes 28, 29 disposed on a peripheral surface of the laminated columnar article 10 to connect layers having the same polarity to each other among the inner electrode layers 18, 19. This laminated piezoelectric/electrostrictive device 1 is characterized in that interfaces 2a, 2b having a relatively low interface strength as compared with the other interfaces are disposed at a specific interval among the interfaces between layers of the laminated columnar article 10.

Abstract: A planar body with a good crystallinity is grown continuously and stably when a planar body of an oxide single crystal is grown by a micro pulling-down method. A raw material of the oxide single crystal is melted in a crucible 7. A fibrous seed crystal 15 is contacted to a melt 18, and then the melt 18 is pulled down from an opening 13c of the crucible 7 by lowering the seed crystal. A shoulder portion 14A is produced following the seed crystal, and a planar body 14B is produced following the shoulder portion. In this case, differences in lattice constants between each crystal axis of the seed crystal and each corresponding crystal axis of the shoulder portion are controlled at 1% or less, respectively.

Abstract: A planar body with a good crystallinity is grown continuously and stably when a planar body of an oxide single crystal is grown by a micro pulling-down method. A raw material of the oxide single crystal is melted in a crucible 7. A planar seed crystal 15 is contacted to a melt 18, and then the melt 18 is pulled down from an opening 13c of the crucible 7 by lowering the seed crystal. A planar body 14 is produced following the seed crystal 15. In this case, differences in lattice constants between each crystal axis of the seed crystal 15 and each corresponding crystal axis of the planar body 14 is controlled at 0.1% or less, respectively.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing an oxide single crystal, including the steps of: melting a raw material for a single crystal of an oxide inside a crucible, contacting a seed crystal with the resulting melt, growing the oxide single crystal by pulling-down the melt through an opening of the crucible in a given pulling-down axis, and fixedly holding the seed crystal and then reducing an angle of a given crystalline orientation of the seed crystal selected for growing the single crystal to the pulling-down axis.

Abstract: In a process for producing a raw material powder including lithium potassium niobate for growing a single crystal of lithium potassium niobate, raw starting materials comprising lithium carbonate powder, potassium carbonate powder and niobium pentoxide powder are mixed in a solvent. The lithium carbonate powder and potassium carbonate powder are entirely dissolved into the solvent, and lithium carbonate and potassium carbonate are then deposited around the niobium pentoxide powder by spray-drying the mixture to obtain granulated powder, and then the granulated powder is thermally treated to produce the raw material powder.

Abstract: A planar body with a good crystallinity is grown continuously and stably when a planar body of an oxide single crystal is grown by a micro pulling-down method. A raw material of the oxide single crystal is melted in a crucible 7. A planar seed crystal 15 is contacted to a melt 18, and then the melt 18 is pulled down from an opening 13c of the crucible 7 by lowering the seed crystal. A planar body 14 is produced following the seed crystal 15. In this case, differences in lattice constants between each crystal axis of the seed crystal 15 and each corresponding crystal axis of the planar body 14 is controlled at 0.1% or less, respectively.

Abstract: A planar body with a good crystallinity is grown continuously and stably when a planar body of an oxide single crystal is grown by a micro pulling-down method. A raw material of the oxide single crystal is melted in a crucible 7. A fibrous seed crystal 15 is contacted to a melt 18, and then the melt 18 is pulled down from an opening 13c of the crucible 7 by lowering the seed crystal. A shoulder portion 14A is produced following the seed crystal, and a planar body 14B is produced following the shoulder portion. In this case, differences in lattice constants between each crystal axis of the seed crystal and each corresponding crystal axis of the shoulder portion are controlled at 1% or less, respectively.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing an oxide single crystal, comprising the steps of: melting a raw material for a single crystal of an oxide inside a crucible, contacting a seed crystal with the resulting melt, growing the oxide single crystal by pulling-down the melt through an opening of the crucible in a given pulling-down axis, and fixedly holding the seed crystal and then reducing an angle of a given crystalline orientation of the seed crystal selected for growing the single crystal to the pulling-down axis.

Abstract: In a process for producing a raw material powder comprising lithium potassium niobate for growing a single crystal of lithium potassium niobate, starting raw materials comprising lithium carbonate powder, potassium carbonate powder and niobium pentoxide powder are mixed in a solvent, lithium carbonate powder and potassium carbonate powder are entirely dissolved into the solvent, lithium carbonate and potassium carbonate are deposited around niobium pentoxide powder by spray-drying the mixture to obtain granulated powder, and then the granulated powder is thermally treated to produce the raw material powder.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for continuously producing a single crystal by drawing downwardly a melt of a single crystal raw material, wherein a single crystal body grown from the melt is continuously pulled downwardly, and a plurality of single crystal products are continuously formed by intermittently cutting the single crystal body being downwardly moved.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for continuously producing a single crystal by drawing downwardly a melt of a single crystal raw material, wherein a single crystal body grown from the melt is continuously pulled downwardly, and a plurality of single crystal products are continuously formed by intermittently cutting the single crystal body being downwardly moved.