Abstract: The bonded substrate includes the silicon nitride ceramic substrate, a copper plate, the bonding layer, and penetrating regions. The copper plate and the bonding layer are patterned into a predetermined shape, and are disposed over a main surface of the silicon nitride ceramic substrate. The bonding layer bonds the copper plate to the main surface of the silicon nitride ceramic substrate. The penetrating regions each include one or more penetrating portions penetrating continuously from the main surface of the substrate into the silicon nitride ceramic substrate to a depth of 3 ?m or more and 20 ?m or less, and contain silver, and the number of penetrating regions present per square millimeter of the main surface of the substrate is one or more and 30 or less.

Abstract: A bonded substrate includes: a silicon nitride ceramic substrate; a copper plate; and a bonding layer bonding the copper plate to the silicon nitride ceramic substrate, wherein the bonding layer has a first interface in contact with the silicon nitride ceramic substrate and a second interface in contact with the copper plate, and contains a nitride and a silicide of an active metal as at least one metal selected from the group consisting of titanium and zirconium, an atomic fraction of nitrogen of the bonding layer is greatest at the first interface and is smallest at the second interface, and a sum of atomic fractions of the active metal and silicon of the bonding layer is smallest at the first interface and is greatest at the second interface.

Abstract: A second main surface of the copper plate is opposite a first main surface of the copper plate, and is bonded to a silicon nitride ceramic substrate by the bonding layer. A first portion and a second portion of an end surface of the copper plate form an angle of 135° to 165° on an outside of the copper plate. An extended plane of the first portion and the second main surface form an angle of 110° to 145° a side where the second portion is located. A distance from the second main surface to an intersection of the first portion and the second portion in a direction of a thickness of the copper plate is 10 to 100 ?m. The second main surface extends beyond the extended plane of the first portion by a distance of 10 ?m or more.

Abstract: A bonded substrate includes: a silicon nitride ceramic substrate; a copper plate; and a bonding layer bonding the copper plate to the silicon nitride ceramic substrate, wherein the bonding layer has a first interface in contact with the silicon nitride ceramic substrate and a second interface in contact with the copper plate, and contains a nitride and a silicide of an active metal as at least one metal selected from the group consisting of titanium and zirconium, an atomic fraction of nitrogen of the bonding layer is greatest at the first interface and is smallest at the second interface, and a sum of atomic fractions of the active metal and silicon of the bonding layer is smallest at the first interface and is greatest at the second interface.

Abstract: An insulated heat dissipation substrate including: a ceramic substrate; and a conductor layer bonded onto at least one of main surfaces of the ceramic substrate, wherein the conductor layer includes: an upper surface; a lower surface; and a side surface 1 connecting the upper surface with the lower surface; the ceramic substrate includes: a lowest portion; a side surface 2 connecting the lowest portion with the side surface 1 of the conductor layer; and a bonding surface at a position higher than the lowest portion, the bonding surface being bonded to the lower surface of the conductor layer; an absolute value (|???|) is 20° or less on average; and the side surface 1 has a receding portion from an end of the upper surface in the normal direction relative to the tangential line of the contour of the conductor layer as viewed in plane.

Abstract: An insulated heat dissipation substrate including: a ceramic substrate; and a conductor layer bonded onto at least one of main surfaces of the ceramic substrate, wherein the conductor layer includes an upper surface, a lower surface bonded to the ceramic substrate, and a side surface connecting the upper surface with the lower surface wherein, a tip of the upper surface recedes in the normal direction of the conductor layer from a tip of the lower surface, the side surface has a contour having an inwardly recessed curve line and having a portion receding in the normal direction of the conductor layer from the tip of the upper surface, and a connection portion between the upper surface and the side surface has a rounded shape such that a maximum radius R of a circle is 0.1 ?m?R?5 ?m on average.

Abstract: Provided is a bonded substrate mainly for mounting a power semiconductor in which the reliability to a thermal cycle has been enhanced as compared with a conventional one. In a bonded substrate in which a copper plate is bonded to one or both main surface(s) of a nitride ceramic substrate, a bonding layer consisting of TiN intervenes between the nitride ceramic substrate and the copper plate and is adjacent at least to the copper plate, and an Ag distribution region in which Ag atoms are distributed is set to be present in the copper plate. Preferably, an Ag-rich phase is set to be present discretely at an interface between the bonding layer and the copper plate.

Abstract: A ceramic circuit board includes a ceramic substrate, a first metal plate bonded to a front surface of the ceramic substrate, and a member bonded to a front surface side of the metal plate. The member is made up from a material which exhibits a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the first metal plate, and which exhibits a higher Young's modulus than that of the first metal plate.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive (“PE”) actuator includes a PE element including a laminated object having a PE layer and a pair of electrodes arranged respectively on both sides of the PE layer, and having an operating part corresponding to the portion in which the PE layer is sandwiched between the pair of electrodes and a non-operating part corresponding to the portion in which the PE layer is not sandwiched between the pair of electrodes, and a moisture-proof film covering at least the vicinity of a boundary between the operating part and the non-operating part, consisting of a liquid with a saturated moisture content at 25 degree Celsius of 300 ppm or less and a withstand voltage at the saturated moisture content of not less than 6 kV/mm. The liquid contains hydrocarbon system organic compound having a main backbone of carbon-carbon bond and consisting only of carbon and hydrogen.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive element having a piezoelectric body, a through-hole electrode, a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode. The piezoelectric body includes a through-hole in communication with a first main surface and a second main surface. The through-hole electrode is formed on an inner side surface of the through-hole. The first electrode is formed on the first main surface of the piezoelectric body, and connected to the through-hole electrode. The second electrode is formed on the second main surface of the piezoelectric body, and is connected to the through-hole electrode. The third electrode is formed on the second main surface of the piezoelectric body and isolated from the second electrode. A calculated average roughness in the inner side surface is larger than 0.11 microns and smaller than 16 microns. A maximum height roughness in the inner side surface is larger than 0.2 microns and smaller than 20 microns.

Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type element in which the film thickness of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film is small, the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film is dense, and the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film has good durability and insulation quality. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type element includes a substrate, a lower electrode film, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film and an upper electrode film. The substrate and the lower electrode film are fixed adherently each other. The film thickness of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film is 5 ?m or less. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive film is composed of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic contains lead zirconate titanate and a bismuth compound.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive element has a piezoelectric body, a first electrode, a second electrode and a glass layer. The piezoelectric body is formed in a thin film-shape. The piezoelectric body has a first main surface and a second main surface. The first electrode is disposed on the first main surface of the piezoelectric body. The first electrode has an electrode side surface configured to be connected with the first main surface. The second electrode is disposed on the second main surface of the piezoelectric body. The glass layer is continuously formed on the first main surface and the electrode side surface. The glass layer containing glass as a principal constituent. The glass layer is isolated from the side surface of the piezoelectric body.

Abstract: A heat dissipating circuit board for a power semiconductor includes an electrode material on which a power semiconductor is mounted on a front surface thereof, and a member bonded to a front surface side of the electrode material. The member is made up from a material which exhibits a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the electrode material, and which exhibits a higher Young's modulus than that of the electrode material.

Abstract: A ceramic circuit board includes a ceramic substrate, and a first metal plate bonded to a front surface of the ceramic substrate. A size of the front surface of the ceramic substrate is smaller than a size of a surface, i.e., a first facing surface, on a side of the first metal plate that faces the ceramic substrate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric element including a step of preparing a green sheet A including a portion which becomes a fired piezoelectric body later, by use of a piezoelectric material; a step of joining, to at least one surface of the green sheet A, a green sheet B having an opening in a portion facing the portion which becomes the fired piezoelectric body later, followed by firing to obtain the fired piezoelectric body provided with a reinforcing plate to which the reinforcing plate formed owing to the firing of the green sheet B is attached; and a step of forming a film-like electrode in a portion obtained by the firing of the green sheet A in the fired piezoelectric body provided with the reinforcing plate.

Abstract: The method for manufacturing a piezoelectric substrate includes a process of forming a material having composition M1?y/2+x(N1?yNby)O3+x (where 0?y?0.045, M represents Pb1?pSrp with 0?p?0.03, and N represents Ti1?qZrq with 0.45?q?0.60) into a sheet form, and a process of burning the material formed into the sheet form while mounted on a setter to obtain a piezoelectric substrate. A thickness of the piezoelectric substrate is 30 ?m or less, and a surface area/thickness ratio of the piezoelectric substrate is 1×107 ?m or more. The variable x has a value within or on a boundary of a region R shown by hatching in FIG. 1.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a laminated piezoelectric/electrostrictive element by lamination of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film and an electrode film containing either platinum or an alloy composed mainly of platinum and having a thickness of 2.0 ?m or less, both or either one of yttrium oxide (Y2O3) and cerium oxide (CeO2) is added to the electrode film or the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film, and the electrode film and the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film are fired simultaneously. This simultaneously achieves a reduced thickness and improved thermal resistance of the electrode film and a reduced change in piezoelectric/electrostrictive properties with time, thereby producing a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element with good initial piezoelectric/electrostrictive properties and with a small change in the piezoelectric/electrostrictive properties with time.

Abstract: A flow passage component according to the present invention is a component composed of ceramics, which forms a flow passage through which a liquid flows. The flow passage has a discharge opening at an end of the flow passage, for discharging the liquid in the flow passage to a space outside of the flow passage component. The discharge opening is exposed to the outside space. A flow passage wall surface forming the flow passage is covered by/with a protection film (parylene-film) formed of a paraxylylene-based polymer. Further, the parylene-film is formed so as to have its end at a position upstream of the discharge opening by a predetermined distance along the flow passage wall surface from the discharge opening. This can decrease a possibility that the liquid goes around the “outer wall surface on which the discharge opening is formed.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a laminated piezoelectric/electrostrictive element by lamination of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film and an electrode film containing either platinum or an alloy composed mainly of platinum and having a thickness of 2.0 ?m or less, both or either one of yttrium oxide (Y2O3) and cerium oxide (CeO2) is added to the electrode film or the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film, and the electrode film and the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film are fired simultaneously. This simultaneously achieves a reduced thickness and improved thermal resistance of the electrode film and a reduced change in piezoelectric/electrostrictive properties with time, thereby producing a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element with good initial piezoelectric/electrostrictive properties and with a small change in the piezoelectric/electrostrictive properties with time.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator, including a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element that includes at least one laminate including one piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer and one pair of electrodes disposed respectively on both sides of said piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer and has a moving part corresponding to a portion where said piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer is sandwiched by one pair of said electrodes and a non-moving part corresponding to a portion where said piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer is not sandwiched by one pair of said electrodes, and a moisture proof membrane disposed to cover at least the proximity of the boundary between said moving part and said non-moving part and consisting of silicone-based organic insulation material with storage elastic modulus of 100 kPa or less obtained by dynamic viscoelastic measurement using a parallel cone with diameter of 25 mm under a condition with strain of 0.1%, frequency of 1 Hz, gap of 0.5 mm and temperature of 22° C.