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, 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 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: 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: 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 piezoelectric/electrostrictive film and the lower electrode film are fixed adherently each other. The film thickness of the lower electrode film is 1 ?m or less. The coverage of the lower electrode film is 90% or more. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive film is composed of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic contains lead zirconate titanate and a bismuth compound. The bismuth/lead ratio in the peripheral section inside the grain which is relatively close to the grain boundary is greater than the bismuth/lead ratio in the center section inside the grain which is relatively far from the grain boundary.

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 piezoelectric/electrostrictive element has 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. The first electrode is connected to the through-hole electrode. The second electrode is formed on the second main surface of the piezoelectric body. The second electrode is connected to the through-hole electrode. The third electrode is formed on the second main surface of the piezoelectric body. The third electrode is 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: 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 piezoelectridelectrostrictive properties with time.

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 film type element includes a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode laminated in order on a support. An average particle diameter of each of particles of a piezoelectric material forming the piezoelectric layer falls within a range of 0.5 ?m to 10 ?m. The sectional shape of the piezoelectric layer is a “quadrilateral (substantially rectangular shape) having a height of from 0.5 ?m to 15 ?m and an angle (?) at an end point of a base of from 85° to 105°.” A surface roughness of a side surface of the piezoelectric layer is 0.05 d?m to 0.5 d?m at the maximum height roughness Rz (defined by JIS B 0601:2001). Both “generation of a leak current that flows through the piezoelectric layer” and “occurrence of particle shedding from a side surface of the piezoelectric layer” can be prevented.

Abstract: A flow passage component 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a component composed of ceramics, which forms a flow passage (R1-R5) through which a liquid flows. The flow passage has a discharge opening (lower end surface of the flow passage R5), at an end of the flow passage, for discharging the liquid in the flow passage to a space outside of the flow passage component 10. 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) 20 formed of a paraxylylene-based polymer. Further, the parylene-film 20 is formed so as to have its end at a position upstream of the discharge opening by a predetermined distance D along the flow passage wall surface from the discharge opening. This can decrease a possibility that the liquid goes around the “outer wall surface 11a on which the discharge opening is formed.

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: 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.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator where the planar shape is adjusted by subjecting the piezoelectric body layer located on one of the outer surfaces in the two or more piezoelectric body layers to a polarization treatment to control remnant polarization of the piezoelectric body layer. The piezoelectric actuator is used as a drive portion of a piezoelectric drive type variable capacitor. The variable capacitor has high mechanical strength and excellent reliability for a long period of time. The relation between the displacement amount of the piezoelectric actuator and the capacity of the capacitor is stable, and the variable capacity is wide.

Abstract: A terminal electrode 10 to connect a conducting wire is formed, with plating, on the surface of an electrode formed on the surface of the ceramic and made of an electrode material containing a glass component by the terminal electrode forming method. This method includes a first gold plating layer forming step of forming a first gold plating layer on the surface of the electrode with the plating by use of a plating liquid having a pH of 6 to 8, a nickel plating layer forming step of forming a nickel plating layer on the surface of the first gold plating layer with the plating, and a second gold plating layer forming step of forming a second gold plating layer on the surface of the nickel plating layer with the plating.

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.