Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device is provided in which a connection plate whose one end in the longitudinal direction is held by two diaphragms and whose other end is held by two other diaphragms is spanned between bottoms of faced concave portions formed on a substrate, and piezoelectric elements are arranged on at least a part of at least one-side plane surface of each of the diaphragms, and the diaphragms are connected with the sides of the concave portions in at least the direction for the diaphragms to hold the connection plate, and a fixing plate is connected to the connection plate so that the longitudinal direction of the fixing plate becomes parallel with the direction for the diaphragms to hold the connection plate. A displacement of the fixing plate generated by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element is utilized or an electromotive force of the piezoelectric element based on a displacement of the fixing plate is utilized.

Abstract: Grooves for constructing transport passages 12 for transporting semiconductor chips 28 are provided (the grooves are provided in parallel to one another in a number corresponding to quality levels of the semiconductor chips 28). An air blow pipe 27 is provided at a starting end Pa of the transport passage 12 in a transport direction (direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 7) to give the thrust for moving the semiconductor chips 28 in the transport direction. A large number of air-jetting holes 26 for floating the semiconductor chips 28 are provided through a transport surface. Especially, the air-jetting holes 26 are provided at a terminal end in the transport direction in a number larger than those for the other portions. Thus, the floating amount of the semiconductor chip 28 is maximized at the terminal end. A plurality of slits 29 are provided vertically through a terminal end wall 20a in the transport direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding semiconductor chips has a structural body having grooves which serve respectively as parallel feed paths for semiconductor chips, the feed paths corresponding to respective quality levels of the semiconductor chips, the structural body being made of partially stabilized zirconia. A stopper mechanism for temporarily stopping semiconductor chips fed along the feed paths comprises piezoelectric bodies disposed in the feed paths in front of terminal walls of the feed paths. A counter mechanism for counting semiconductor chips fed along the feed paths have electrodes disposed in the feed paths near the terminal walls. The apparatus serves as a feed system for floating articles with ejected air and feeding the floated articles, and lends itself to being automatized.

Abstract: Disclosed is an appearance inspection apparatus for inspecting whether an appearance state of a main actuator element is adequate or defective by applying an appearance-inspecting voltage to the main actuator element including an upper electrode formed on an upper surface of a shape-retaining layer and a lower electrode formed on a lower surface of the shape-retaining layer. The appearance inspection apparatus comprises an optical detecting unit for electrically detecting the appearance state of the main actuator element on the basis of light emission caused by the main actuator element, and a judging unit for judging whether the appearance state of the main actuator element is adequate or defective on the basis of a level of a detection signal supplied from the optical detecting unit. Accordingly, it is possible to realize high inspection accuracy, reduce inspection time, and simplify the inspection apparatus. Further, the present invention is also applicable to integrated electronic parts.

Abstract: A chip peeling apparatus has a plurality of protrusions which include first protrusions and second protrusions lower than the first protrusions. A vacuum pump communicates through holes with grooves defined between adjacent ones of the protrusions. A UV sheet is attached to chips, and the chips are supported in the vicinity of their corners by the tops of the first protrusions. When the vacuum pump is actuated, the chips and streets disposed between the chips are lowered, and the chips are curved and supported in abutment against the tops of the second protrusions. Each of the chips is gradually peeled off the UV sheet under a force tending to recover the original shape of the curved sheet. The chip peeling apparatus is effective in preventing the chips from being damaged and positionally deviated when the chips are attracted and carried.

Abstract: A vibration gyro sensor is constructed as follows. Namely, a detecting piezoelectric/electrostrictive element 12, which detects displacement generated in a direction perpendicular to a direction of vibration of a vibrator 2 when the vibrator is rotated, is provided on a detecting section. The detecting section is constructed by an integrated fired product made of ceramics together with the vibrator 2 and a support base 4. The detecting section is constructed by a first plate-shaped section 6 which is more thin-walled than the vibrator 2 and which has its principal surface extending in the direction of vibration. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive element 12 is formed in an integrated manner on the first plate-shaped section 6 in accordance with a film formation method.

Abstract: A diaphragm structure includes a ceramic substrate having at least one window portion and a thin diaphragm laminated onto the ceramic substrate so as to cover the window portion, wherein only a part of an interface between the ceramic substrate and the thin diaphragm is joined to form a joint of the diaphragm. A diaphragm structure is free from instability caused by a breakage or deformation of a partition wall between window portions upon punching or laminating even if a diaphragm structure employs a design in which dimensions of a diaphragm portion is maintained and simultaneously a distance between diaphragm portions is made narrow to restrain a surface area excluding a diaphragm portion of a diaphragm structure or a design in which a plurality of diaphragm portion having various configurations and dimensions are disposed.

Abstract: A process for forming a film on a ceramic substrate or on a fired film formed thereon includes coating, on a ceramic substrate or on a fired film formed thereon, a material which becomes a metallic film or a ceramic film upon firing, to form an as-coated film, irradiating the as-coated film with an energy beam which does not damage the ceramic substrate or the fired film formed thereon to such an extent that it becomes useless and which can decompose and remove the as-coated film, to trim the unrequired portion(s) of the as-coated film, and firing the trimmed as-coated film to form a desired film. The film can be formed on a ceramic substrate or on a fired film formed thereon while the damage to the substrate or the fired film is minimized.

Abstract: A parallel light beam is introduced from a collimator lens into through holes defined in a honeycomb-shaped object, and any light emitted from the honeycomb-shaped object is read by a CCD camera through a Fourier-transform lens to produce a Fourier-transform image of the honeycomb-shaped object. The honeycomb-shaped object is tilted such that the axis of the through holes is inclined at a certain angle to the optical axis of the parallel laser beam. If the partitions contain interstices spaced at intervals and light introduced into the through holes passes through such interstices, the Fourier-transform image includes a stripe pattern induced by diffracted light from the interstices. Since the stripe pattern can easily be distinguished from a dot-matrix pattern representing light emitted from the through holes, the interstices contained in the partitions can reliably be detected.