Abstract: Provided is a lead-free piezoelectric thin film containing a lead-free ferroelectric material and having low dielectric loss, high electromechanical coupling coefficient and high piezoelectric constant comparable to that of lead zirconate titanate (PZT). The piezoelectric thin film of the present invention has a (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3 film composed of a perovskite composite oxide (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3. The (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3 film has (001) orientation and further contains Ag. The (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3 film has a mole ratio of Ag to Ti of at least 0.001 but not more than 0.01.

Abstract: Provided are a piezoelectric thin film including a lead-free ferroelectric material and exhibiting high piezoelectric performance comparable to that of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), and a method of manufacturing the piezoelectric thin film. The piezoelectric thin film of the present invention includes: a LaNiO3 film having a (001) orientation; an interface layer having a (001) orientation and composed of a compound represented by a chemical formula ABO3 (where A is represented by (Bi,Na)1-xCx (0?x?1), B is Ti or TiZr, and C is an alkali metal other than Na); and a (Bi,Na,Ba)TiO3 film having a (001) orientation. The LaNiO3 film, the interface layer, and the (Bi,Na,Ba)TiO3 film are laminated in this order.

Abstract: Provided are a piezoelectric thin film including a lead-free ferroelectric material and exhibiting high piezoelectric performance comparable to that of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), and a method of manufacturing the piezoelectric thin film. The piezoelectric thin film of the present invention comprises: a LaNiO3 film having a (001) orientation; a NaNbO3 film having a (001) orientation; and a (Bi, Na, Ba) TiO3 film having a (001) orientation. The LaNiO3 film, the NaNbO3 film, and the (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3 film are laminated in this order.

Abstract: Provided are a piezoelectric thin film including a lead-free ferroelectric material and exhibiting high piezoelectric performance comparable to that of PZT, and a method of manufacturing the piezoelectric thin film. The piezoelectric thin film of the present invention has a multilayer structure in which a metal electrode film having a plane orientation of (100), a (Bi,Na)TiO3 film, and a (Bi,Na,Ba) TiO3 film having a plane orientation of (001) are laminated in this order. The piezoelectric thin film of the present invention can be applied to a wide range of fields and uses. For example, with the piezoelectric thin film of the present invention, an angular velocity sensor of the present invention having high sensitivity and a piezoelectric generating element of the present invention having excellent power generation characteristics can be constructed.

Abstract: Provided are a piezoelectric thin film including a lead-free ferroelectric material and exhibiting high piezoelectric performance comparable to that of PZT, and a method of manufacturing the piezoelectric thin film. The piezoelectric thin film of the present invention has a multilayer structure in which a metal electrode film having a plane orientation of (100), a (Bi,Na)TiO3 film, and a (Bi,Na,Ba)TiO3 film having a plane orientation of (001) are laminated in this order. The piezoelectric thin film of the present invention can be applied to a wide range of fields and uses. For example, with the piezoelectric thin film of the present invention, an angular velocity sensor of the present invention having high sensitivity and a piezoelectric generating element of the present invention having excellent power generation characteristics can be constructed.

Abstract: An aspect in accordance with the present invention is a structure of mounting an impact absorption material for use with a vehicle. The structure includes: a door trim 30, a holder, and an EA pad. The holder includes a base and a plurality of legs, the base of the holder being disposed on the compartment outer side surface of the EA pad. The plurality of legs are disposed at intervals around an outer peripheral edge of the base of the holder and extend from the base of the holder, along an outer peripheral side surface of the EA pad, and to the door trim, thereby fixing the base of the holder to the door trim.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a pressure chamber member that has an opening communicating with a nozzle, a vibrating plate that is disposed on the pressure chamber member so as to cover the opening, a lower electrode that is disposed on the vibrating plate, a piezoelectric body that is disposed on the lower electrode, an upper electrode that is disposed on the piezoelectric body and in a region opposed to the opening, and a lead electrode that is disposed on the piezoelectric body, that extends from the upper electrode, and that has a width smaller than that of the upper electrode. The piezoelectric body includes a groove portion that is disposed in a predetermined region along an edge portion of the opening and an inactive region (piezoelectric inactive region) that is a region other than the groove portion, that is disposed along the edge portion of the opening, and that does not substantially serve as a piezoelectric element. The lead electrode is disposed in the piezoelectric inactive region.

Abstract: Provided are a piezoelectric thin film including a lead-free ferroelectric material and exhibiting high piezoelectric performance comparable to that of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), and a method of manufacturing the piezoelectric thin film. The piezoelectric thin film of the present invention includes: a LaNiO3 film having a (001) orientation; an interface layer having a (001) orientation and composed of a compound represented by a chemical formula ABO3 (where A is represented by (Bi,Na)1-xCx (0?x?1), B is Ti or TiZr, and C is an alkali metal other than Na); and a (Bi,Na,Ba)TiO3 film having a (001) orientation. The LaNiO3 film, the interface layer, and the (Bi,Na,Ba)TiO3 film are laminated in this order.

Abstract: A fixing structure for a vehicle interior material in accordance with the present invention includes: a first interior base material including a first end portion; a second interior base material including a second end portion disposed adjacent to the first end portion; an ornamental member disposed along an axis defined by the first end portion and the second end portion; and a plurality of joints that indirectly fix the first end portion and the second end portion via the ornamental member.

Abstract: Provided are a piezoelectric thin film including a lead-free ferroelectric material and exhibiting high piezoelectric performance comparable to that of PZT, and a method of manufacturing the piezoelectric thin film. The piezoelectric thin film of the present invention has a multilayer structure in which a metal electrode film having a plane orientation of (100), a (Bi,Na)TiO3 film, and a (Bi,Na,Ba)TiO3 film having a plane orientation of (001) are laminated in this order. The piezoelectric thin film of the present invention can be applied to a wide range of fields and uses. For example, with the piezoelectric thin film of the present invention, an angular velocity sensor of the present invention having high sensitivity and a piezoelectric generating element of the present invention having excellent power generation characteristics can be constructed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a lower hydrogen-barrier film; a capacitor formed on the lower hydrogen-barrier film and including a lower electrode, a capacitive insulating film, and an upper electrode; an interlayer dielectric film formed so as to cover the periphery of the capacitor; and an upper hydrogen-barrier film covering the top and lateral portions of the capacitor. An opening, which exposes the lower hydrogen-barrier film where the lower hydrogen-barrier film is located around the capacitor, and which is tapered and flares upward, is formed in the interlayer dielectric film, and the upper hydrogen-barrier film is formed along the lateral and bottom faces of the opening, and is in contact with the lower hydrogen-barrier film in the opening.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes two electrode films and a layered piezoelectric film which is sandwiched between the electrode films and made of two thin piezoelectric films each having preferred orientation along the (111) plane. The two thin piezoelectric films are aggregates of columnar grains, respectively, which are continuously linked to each other. The columnar grains of the second thin piezoelectric film have a larger average cross-sectional diameter than the columnar grains of the first thin piezoelectric film. The ratio of the thickness of the layered piezoelectric film to the average cross-sectional diameter of the columnar grains of the second thin piezoelectric film is 20 to 60 inclusive.

Abstract: In a piezoelectric element, an adhesive layer 12 is provided on a substrate 11, a first electrode layer 14 made of a noble metal containing titanium or titanium oxide is provided on the adhesive layer 12, and an orientation control layer 15 that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane is provided on the first electrode layer 14. In the vicinity of a surface of the orientation control layer 15 that is closer to the first electrode layer 14, a (100)- or (001)-oriented region extends over titanium or titanium oxide located on one surface of the first electrode layer 14 that is closer to the orientation control layer 15, and the cross-sectional area of the region in the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction gradually increases in the direction away from the first electrode layer 14 toward the opposite side. Further, a piezoelectric layer 16 that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane is provided on the orientation control layer 15.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a pressure chamber member that has an opening 1 communicating with a nozzle, a vibrating plate that is disposed on the pressure chamber member so as to cover the opening 1, a lower electrode that is disposed on the vibrating plate, a piezoelectric body 5 that is disposed on the lower electrode, an upper electrode 6 that is disposed on the piezoelectric body 5 and in a region opposed to the opening 1, and a lead electrode 7 that is disposed on the piezoelectric body 5, that extends from the upper electrode 6, and that has a width smaller than that of the upper electrode 6. The piezoelectric body 5 includes a groove portion 12 that is disposed in a predetermined region along an edge portion 2a of the opening and an inactive region (piezoelectric inactive region 11) that is a region other than the groove portion 12, that is disposed along the edge portion 2a of the opening, and that does not substantially serve as a piezoelectric element.

Abstract: One objective of the invention is to provide a highly-efficient and reliable piezoelectric thin film device by improving the piezoelectric function of a piezoelectric thin film and obtaining a crystal structure wherein the dependency of a piezoelectric constant, relative to a voltage, is superior, and to also provide a method for manufacturing this piezoelectric thin film device. Another objective of the invention is to provide an inkjet head that satisfactorily exhibits the piezoelectric performance of the piezoelectric thin film device and that has a superior withstand voltage function and driving reliability, and to provide a high quality inkjet recording apparatus on which this inkjet head can be mounted. A piezoelectric thin film device includes: crystal grains that form piezoelectric thin film and grain boundaries that encircle the crystal grains, wherein the same crystal orientation is established for the grain boundaries and the crystal grains.

Abstract: A lead content in a piezoelectric thin film (3) of a piezoelectric element (20) is made smaller as compared to stoichiometric composition. More specifically, the piezoelectric thin film (3) is made of lead zirconate titanate expressed as Pb(1-x)(Zr(1-s)Tis)O3(0<s<1) or lead-zirconate-titanate-based oxide expressed as (Pb(1-x-y)Ay)(Zr(1-s-t)TisBt)O3(0<s<1, 0<t<1-s) where A is a substitutive metal ion in an A-site in the perovskite crystalline structure and B is a substitutive metal ion in a B-site in the perovskite crystalline structure. The value of x, which indicates a deficiency in Pb content in each composition, is more than 0 but not more than 0.15.

Abstract: A piezoelectric body (piezoelectric layer 14) is configured to include a first piezoelectric layer 14a, a second piezoelectric layer 14b, and a third piezoelectric layer 14c. A piezoelectric constant of each of the first and third piezoelectric layer 14a and 14c is set to be smaller than that of the second piezoelectric layer 14b. Thus, it is possible to reduce an internal stress generated at an interface between first and second electrode layers 13 and 15 corresponding to the first and third piezoelectric layer 14a and 14c, and generation of a crack caused by high voltage application or driving performed for a long time is expected to be greatly reduced.

Abstract: The first object of the present invention is to provide a PDP with improved panel brightness which is achieved by improving the efficiency in conversion from discharge energy to visible rays. The second object of the present invention is to provide a PDP with improved panel life which is achieved by improving the protecting layer protecting the dielectrics glass layer. To achieve the first object, the present invention sets the amount of xenon in the discharge gas to the range of 10% by volume to less than 100% by volume, and sets the charging pressure for the discharge gas to the range of 500 to 760 Torr which is higher than conventional charging pressures. With such construction, the panel brightness increases. Also, to achieve the second object, the present invention has, on the surface of the dielectric glass layer, a protecting layer consisting of an alkaline earth oxide with (100)-face or (110)-face orientation.

Abstract: The first object of the present invention is to provide a PDP with improved panel brightness which is achieved by improving the efficiency in conversion from discharge energy to visible rays. The second object of the present invention is to provide a PDP with improved panel life which is achieved by improving the protecting layer protecting the dielectrics glass layer. To achieve the first object, the present invention sets the amount of xenon in the discharge gas to the range of 10% by volume to less than 100% by volume, and sets the charging pressure for the discharge gas to the range of 500 to 760 Torr which is higher than conventional charging pressures. With such construction, the panel brightness increases. Also, to achieve the second object, the present invention has, on the surface of the dielectric glass layer, a protecting layer consisting of an alkaline earth oxide with (100)-face or (110)-face orientation.

Abstract: The first object of the present invention is to provide a PDP with improved panel brightness which is achieved by improving the efficiency in conversion from discharge energy to visible rays. The second object of the present invention is to provide a PDP with improved panel life which is achieved by improving the protecting layer protecting the dielectrics glass layer. To achieve the first object, the present invention sets the amount of xenon in the discharge gas to the range of 10% by volume to less than 100% by volume, and sets the charging pressure for the discharge gas to the range of 500 to 760 Torr which is higher than conventional charging pressures. With such construction, the panel brightness increases. Also, to achieve the second object, the present invention has, on the surface of the dielectric glass layer, a protecting layer consisting of an alkaline earth oxide with (100)-face or (110)-face orientation.