Abstract: A complex according to the present disclosure contains a ?-eucryptite crystal phase and a lithium tantalate crystal phase. In a temperature range of 0 to 50° C., a coefficient of thermal expansion calculated for each 1° C. is within 0±1 ppm/K. Calcium is contained in the lithium tantalate crystal phase. The volume ratio of the ?-eucryptite crystal phase to the lithium tantalate crystal phase is from 90:10 to 99.5:0.5.

Abstract: A cordierite-based ceramic(s) is provided where a main crystalline phase thereof is a cordierite crystalline phase, a content of Mg is 13.2% by mass or more and 13.8% by mass or less in an MgO equivalent, a content of Al is 26.0% by mass or more and 32.1% by mass or less in an Al2O3 equivalent, a content of Bi is 1.6% by mass or more and 4.6% by mass or less in a Bi2O3 equivalent, a content of B is 1.5% by mass or more and 6.8% by mass or less in a B2O3 equivalent, and a content of Si is 49.4% by mass or more and 51.4% by mass or less in an SiO2 equivalent.

Abstract: A complex according to the present disclosure contains a ?-eucryptite crystal phase and a lithium tantalate crystal phase. In a temperature range of 0 to 50° C., a coefficient of thermal expansion calculated for each 1° C. is within 0±1 ppm/K. Calcium is contained in the lithium tantalate crystal phase. The volume ratio of the ?-eucryptite crystal phase to the lithium tantalate crystal phase is from 90:10 to 99.5:0.5.

Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric substrate including a lithium-containing metal compound crystal such as a lithium tantalate (LT) crystal, wherein potassium is contained in the substrate and the distribution of potassium is approximately uniform as observed in the direction of the thickness of the substrate. There is also provided a piezoelectric substrate, wherein a peak coming from Li—O lattice vibration and appearing around 380 cm?1 is shifted to a high wave number side compared with that in an untreated piezoelectric substrate having a conductivity of 1×10?15 S/cm or less in Raman spectra measured from the cross section direction.

Abstract: A head has a base and a piezoelectric element which is superimposed on and fastened to the base in a thickness direction. The piezoelectric element has a plate-shaped piezoelectric body, and a common electrode and a individual electrode arranged so as to sandwich the piezoelectric body in the thickness direction. The base has a higher thermal expansion coefficient than the piezoelectric body (the piezoelectric element 23). The piezoelectric body has a tetragonal principal crystal phase, in which the degree of orientation of the c-axis toward one side in the thickness direction (positive side in z direction) in the region sandwiched by the common electrode and the individual electrode is 44% or more and 56% or less in terms of the Lotgering factor and in which the residual stress in the surface direction is 0 MPa or more and 35 MPa or less in the direction of compression.

Abstract: A head has a base and a piezoelectric element which is superimposed on and fastened to the base in a thickness direction. The piezoelectric element has a plate-shaped piezoelectric body, and a common electrode and a individual electrode arranged so as to sandwich the piezoelectric body in the thickness direction. The base has a higher thermal expansion coefficient than the piezoelectric body (the piezoelectric element 23). The piezoelectric body has a tetragonal principal crystal phase, in which the degree of orientation of the c-axis toward one side in the thickness direction (positive side in z direction) in the region sandwiched by the common electrode and the individual electrode is 44% or more and 56% or less in terms of the Lotgering factor and in which the residual stress in the surface direction is 0 MPa or more and 35 MPa or less in the direction of compression.

Abstract: A method for driving a liquid ejector (1) provided with a piezoelectric actuator (7) including a piezoelectric ceramic layer (6) having a size covering a plurality of pressurizing chambers (2). An arbitrary piezoelectric deformation region (8) of the liquid ejector (1) is deflected in one thickness direction and the opposite direction individually by applying a driving voltage waveform including a first voltage (?VL) and an equivalent second voltage (+VL) of the opposite polarity in order to vary the volume of the pressurizing chambers (2) of a corresponding liquid droplet ejecting portion (4), and a liquid droplet is ejected through a communicating nozzle (3). Since gradual creep deformation of the inactive region (16) of the piezoelectric ceramic layer (6) is prevented, the ink droplet ejection performance is maintained at a good level over a long period.

Abstract: A multilayer piezoelectric actuator and a liquid discharge head are provided which are equipped with dense piezoelectric ceramics having improved insulation performance. The multilayer piezoelectric actuator comprises a multilayered body comprising a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic layers containing a PZT phase as a main crystal phase; and an electrode layer containing Ag, which is disposed at least one of on the surface and in the interior of the multilayered body. A lattice constant c of c-axis of the PZT phase is 0.4085 nm to 0.4100 nm, and a ratio of the lattice constant c of the c-axis of the PZT phase and a lattice constant a of a-axis, namely, the ratio c/a, is 1.011 or more. A second phase containing Ag different from the PZT phase is not substantially contained in the piezoelectric ceramic layer. A Zn2SiO4 phase is contained at grain boundaries of the PZT phase, and a Pb2SiO4 phase is not substantially contained at the grain boundaries of the PZT phase.

Abstract: A method for driving a liquid ejector (1) provided with a piezoelectric actuator (7) including a piezoelectric ceramic layer (6) having a size covering a plurality of pressurizing chambers (2). An arbitrary piezoelectric deformation region (8) of the liquid ejector (1) is deflected in one thickness direction and the opposite direction individually by applying a driving voltage waveform including a first voltage (?VL) and an equivalent second voltage (+VL) of the opposite polarity in order to vary the volume of the pressurizing chambers (2) of a corresponding liquid droplet ejecting portion (4), and a liquid droplet is ejected through a communicating nozzle (3). Since gradual creep deformation of the inactive region (16) of the piezoelectric ceramic layer (6) is prevented, the ink droplet ejection performance is maintained at a good level over a long period.

Abstract: A method for driving a liquid drop ejector (1) equipped with a piezoelectric actuator (7) including a piezoelectric ceramic layer (6) having a size covering a plurality of pressurizing chambers (2). An arbitrary piezoelectric deformation region (8) of the liquid drop ejector (1) is deflected in one thickness direction and the opposite direction, respectively, by applying a driving voltage waveform including a first voltage (?VL) and an equivalent second voltage (+VL) of the opposite polarity in order to vary the volume of the pressurizing chambers (2) of a corresponding liquid drop ejecting portion (4), and a liquid drop is ejected through a communicating nozzle (3). Since gradual creep deformation of the inactive region (16) of the piezoelectric ceramic layer (6) is prevented, the ink drop ejection performance is maintained at a good level over a long term.

Abstract: A multilayer piezoelectric actuator and a liquid discharge head are provided which are equipped with dense piezoelectric ceramics having improved insulation performance. The multilayer piezoelectric actuator comprises a multilayered body comprising a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic layers containing a PZT phase as a main crystal phase; and an electrode layer containing Ag, which is disposed at least one of on the surface and in the interior of the multilayered body. A lattice constant c of c-axis of the PZT phase is 0.4085 nm to 0.4100 nm, and a ratio of the lattice constant c of the c-axis of the PZT phase and a lattice constant a of a-axis, namely, the ratio c/a, is 1.011 or more. A second phase containing Ag different from the PZT phase is not substantially contained in the piezoelectric ceramic layer. A Zn2SiO4 phase is contained at grain boundaries of the PZT phase, and a Pb2SiO4 phase is not substantially contained at the grain boundaries of the PZT phase.

Abstract: A method for driving a liquid drop ejector (1) equipped with a piezoelectric actuator (7) including a piezoelectric ceramic layer (6) having a size covering a plurality of pressurizing chambers (2). An arbitrary piezoelectric deformation region (8) of the liquid drop ejector (1) is deflected in one thickness direction and the opposite direction, respectively, by applying a driving voltage waveform including a first voltage (?VL) and an equivalent second voltage (+VL) of the opposite polarity in order to vary the volume of the pressurizing chambers (2) of a corresponding liquid drop ejecting portion (4), and a liquid drop is ejected through a communicating nozzle (3). Since gradual creep deformation of the inactive region (16) of the piezoelectric ceramic layer (6) is prevented, the ink drop ejection performance is maintained at a good level over a long term.

Abstract: The present invention provides piezoelectric ceramics having a thickness of 100 ?m or less, surface flatness of 20 ?m or less and maximum surface uneveness of 3 ?m or less in arbitrary surface region, wherein in-plane variation in dielectric constant is 5% or less of an average dielectric constant. The piezoelectric ceramics are applied to an actuator used for a painting head because of small surface flatness and less in-plane variation in piezoelectric constant.

Abstract: The laminated piezoelectric element having a thickness of 100 ?m or less of the present invention comprises a laminate which comprises a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic layers 1, and electrodes 2,3 provided the surface and the inside of the laminate, wherein the electrode 2 comprises a silver-palladium alloy containing 71 to 99.9% by volume of silver and 0.1 to 29% by volume of palladium.

Abstract: The present invention provides piezoelectric ceramics having a thickness of 100 &mgr;m or less, surface flatness of 20 &mgr;m or less and maximum surface uneveness of 3 &mgr;m or less in arbitrary surface region, wherein in-plane variation in dielectric constant is 5% or less of an average dielectric constant. The piezelectric ceramics are applied to an actuator used for a painting head because of small surface flatness and less in-plane variation in piezoelectric constant.

Abstract: The laminated piezoelectric element having a thickness of 100 &mgr;m or less of the present invention comprises a laminate which comprises a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic layers 1, and electrodes 2,3 provided the surface and the inside of the laminate, wherein the electrode 2 comprises a silver-palladium alloy containing 71 to 99.9% by volume of silver and 0.1 to 29% by volume of palladium.