Abstract: A liquid jet head includes a passage-forming substrate composed of a crystal substrate provided with pressure-generating chambers communicating with nozzle orifices and piezoelectric elements disposed on the passage-forming substrate and each composed of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric material layer, and an upper electrode to cause a change of pressure in the pressure-generating chamber. The piezoelectric material layer has a thickness of 5 ?m or less and is made of a perovskite-type crystal and is configured such that the distance between an X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (220) plane of the passage-forming substrate and an X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (110) plane of the piezoelectric material layer is within a range of 2?=16.262±0.1 degrees.

Abstract: A liquid jet head includes a flow passage forming substrate formed of a crystal substrate provided with a pressure generating chamber communicating with nozzle openings, and a piezoelectric element including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode, which are provided on the flow passage forming substrate to change pressure in the pressure generating chamber. The piezoelectric layer has a thickness of 5 ?m or less and is formed of perovskite type crystals, and the distance between a diffraction peak position A of an X-ray derived from a surface (220) of the flow passage forming substrate and a diffraction peak position B of an X-ray derived from a surface (100) of the piezoelectric layer is within the range of 2?=25.487±0.1°.

Abstract: A liquid jet head has a channel-forming substrate composed of a crystal substrate having a pressure-generating chamber linked to a nozzle opening as well as a piezoelectric element composed of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode and formed on the channel-forming substrate so that the pressure in the pressure-generating chamber can be changed, with the piezoelectric layer having a thickness equal to or smaller than 5 ?m, made of a perovskite-type crystal, and formed so that the interval between the X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (220) plane of the channel-forming substrate and the X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (111) plane of the piezoelectric layer falls within the range 2?=9.059±0.1°.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric layer forming step of sequentially and repeatedly performing a heat treatment step of applying a piezoelectric material containing lead to a lower electrode film at a relative humidity in the range of 30% to 50% Rh and then performing a heat treatment to form a piezoelectric precursor film and a crystallization step of firing the piezoelectric precursor film to form a piezoelectric film on the lower electrode film, thereby forming a piezoelectric layer.

Abstract: An actuator device includes: a layer provided on a single crystal silicon (Si) substrate, and made of silicon dioxide (SiO2); at least one buffer layer provided on the layer made of silicon dioxide (SiO2); a base layer provided on the buffer layer, and made of lanthanum nickel oxide (LNO) having the (100m) plane orientation; and a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element includes: a lower electrode provided on the base layer, and made of platinum (Pt) having the (100) plane orientation; a piezoelectric layer made of a ferroelectric layer whose plane orientation is the (100) orientation, the piezoelectric layer formed on the lower electrode by epitaxial growth where a crystal system of at least one kind selected from a group consisting of a tetragonal system, a monoclinic system and a rhombohedral system dominates the other crystal systems; and an upper electrode provided on the piezoelectric layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a dielectric film includes a coating step of coating sol made of an organic metal compound and forming a dielectric precursor film, a drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film, a degreasing step of degreasing the dielectric precursor film, and a baking step of baking the dielectric precursor film to form a dielectric film. The drying step includes a first drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film by heating the dielectric precursor film to a temperature lower than a boiling point of a solvent which is a main solvent of the sol and then holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a predetermined period of time, and a second drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film further by reheating the dielectric precursor film and then holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: Provided are an a piezoelectric element, an actuator device, a liquid-jet head and a liquid-jet apparatus which exhibit excellent displacement characteristics; the piezoelectric element is configured of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer and an upper electrode; and the half-value width of the (100) planes is not larger than 0.2 degrees, and the half-value width of the (200) planes is not smaller than 0.25 degrees, when the face surface of the piezoelectric layer is measured by means of the wide-angle X-ray diffraction method.

Abstract: Disclosed are a piezoelectric element which can obtain a large strain with a low drive voltage, a liquid-jet head and a liquid-jet apparatus. The piezoelectric element includes: a lower electrode; an upper electrode; and a piezoelectric film which is made of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), and which has perovskite crystals having priority orientations of the (100) plane, the piezoelectric film being interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode. In the piezoelectric element, an X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (100) planes of the piezoelectric film is within a range of 2?=21.79 to 21.88.

Abstract: Provided are a ferroelectric thin film formation composition, a ferroelectric thin film and a method of fabricating a ferroelectric thin film, the ferroelectric thin film formation composition being capable of effectively preventing occurrence of a striation and expanding the range of choice of a sol composition. A ferroelectric thin film formation composition containing a metal compound that is a material to form a ferroelectric thin film contains a hydrophobic compound which includes a reactive group reacting with a hydroxy group and in which at least an end side of a remnant exclusive of the reactive group has a hydrophobic property. Thus, it is possible to expand the range of choice of the sol composition while effectively suppressing occurrence of the striation.

Abstract: An actuator device including vibration plates formed on one side of a substrate; and piezoelectric elements mounted through the vibration plates and each including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode, wherein a ratio d31/S11E of a piezoelectric constant d31 of the piezoelectric layer to an elastic compliance S11E of the piezoelectric layer is greater than 5 C/m2, and the elastic compliance S11E of each vibration plate is greater than 2×10?8 m2/N.

Abstract: Provided are a ferroelectric thin film formation composition, a ferroelectric thin film and a method of fabricating a ferroelectric thin film, the ferroelectric thin film formation composition being capable of effectively preventing occurrence of a striation and expanding the range of choice of a sol composition. A ferroelectric thin film formation composition containing a metal compound that is a material to form a ferroelectric thin film contains a hydrophobic compound which includes a reactive group reacting with a hydroxy group and in which at least an end side of a remnant exclusive of the reactive group has a hydrophobic property wherein the reactive group is at least one of a silane halide, a hydroxysilane and an alkoxysilane. Thus, it is possible to expand the range of choice of the sol composition while effectively suppressing occurrence of the striation.

Abstract: Disclosed are a piezoelectric element in which crystallinity of a piezoelectric layer is improved, and which has uniform characteristics of the piezoelectric layer, a liquid-jet head using the piezoelectric element as well as a liquid-jet apparatus. The piezoelectric element includes: a lower electrode provided to one surface side of a substrate; a piezoelectric layer which is made of a piezoelectric material containing lead (Pb), zirconium (Zr) and titanium (Ti), and which is provided above the lower electrode; and an upper electrode provided above the piezoelectric layer, and in the piezoelectric element, a relative permittivity of the piezoelectric layer is 750 to 1500 and a coercive electric field of the piezoelectric layer is 10 to 40 kV/cm.

Abstract: A method for producing a dielectric film, comprising: a coating step of coating a colloidal solution containing an organometallic compound containing a metal constituting a dielectric film containing at least a lead component to form a dielectric precursor film; a drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film; a degreasing step of degreasing the dielectric precursor film; and a firing step of firing the dielectric precursor film to form a dielectric film, and wherein the drying step includes a first drying step of heating the dielectric precursor film to a temperature lower than the boiling point of a solvent, which is a main solvent of the material, and holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a certain period of time to dry the dielectric precursor film, and a second drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film at a temperature in the range of 140° C. to 170° C., the degreasing step is performed at a degreasing temperature of 350° C. to 450° C.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a flow channel substrate having a pressure generating chamber communicating with a nozzle aperture through which liquid is ejected, and a piezoelectric element disposed on one surface of the flow channel substrate. The piezoelectric element includes a common electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an individual electrode. The piezoelectric layer is made of lead zirconate titanate having a rhombohedral or monoclinic crystal structure preferentially oriented in the (100) plane. The saturated polarization Pm and the residual polarization Pr of the piezoelectric layer satisfy the relationship 33%?2Pr/2Pm?46%.

Abstract: Provided are a ferroelectric thin film formation composition, a ferroelectric thin film and a method of fabricating a ferroelectric thin film, the ferroelectric thin film formation composition being capable of effectively preventing occurrence of a striation and expanding the range of choice of a sol composition. A ferroelectric thin film formation composition containing a metal compound that is a material to form a ferroelectric thin film contains a hydrophobic compound which includes a reactive group reacting with a hydroxy group and in which at least an end side of a remnant exclusive of the reactive group has a hydrophobic property. Thus, it is possible to expand the range of choice of the sol composition while effectively suppressing occurrence of the striation.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a dielectric film includes a coating step of coating sol made of an organic metal compound and forming a dielectric precursor film, a drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film, a degreasing step of degreasing the dielectric precursor film, and a baking step of baking the dielectric precursor film to form a dielectric film. The drying step includes a first drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film by heating the dielectric precursor film to a temperature lower than a boiling point of a solvent which is a main solvent of the sol and then holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a predetermined period of time, and a second drying step of drying the dielectric precursor film further by reheating the dielectric precursor film and then holding the dielectric precursor film at the temperature for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a liquid jet head having increased the durability and reliability thereof by preventing delamination of a vibration plate is provided. At least the following two steps are included: a vibration plate forming step which includes at least a step of forming a zirconium layer on one side of a passage-forming substrate by sputtering so that a degrees of orientation to a (002) plane of the surface becomes equal to 80% or more, as well as forming an insulation film made of zirconium oxide and constituting a part of the vibration plate by subjecting the zirconium layer to thermal oxidation; and a piezoelectric element forming step of forming piezoelectric elements on the vibration plate.

Abstract: A device for drying substrate comprising a processing vessel housing a specified number of substrates such as semiconductor wafers installed erectedly in parallel to one another, a first substrate supporting member supporting substrates within the processing vessel, the processing fluid supplying section supplying to the processing vessel, the processing fluid for performing processing such as cleaning processing on the substrates, a processing fluid exhausting section exhausting processing fluid from the processing vessel, and a drying fluid supplying section supplying, to the processing vessel, the liquid drops of drying fluid for performing drying processing on the substrates.

Abstract: Provided are a ferroelectric thin film formation composition, a ferroelectric thin film and a method of fabricating a ferroelectric thin film, the ferroelectric thin film formation composition being capable of effectively preventing occurrence of a striation and expanding the range of choice of a sol composition. A ferroelectric thin film formation composition containing a metal compound that is a material to form a ferroelectric thin film contains a hydrophobic compound which includes a reactive group reacting with a hydroxy group and in which at least an end side of a remnant exclusive of the reactive group has a hydrophobic property. Thus, it is possible to expand the range of choice of the sol composition while effectively suppressing occurrence of the striation.

Abstract: Disclosed is an actuator device that includes a piezoelectric element provided as being freely displaceable on a substrate. The piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer and an upper electrode. In the actuator device, the Young's modulus of the lower electrode is not less than 200 GPa.