Abstract: A piezoelectric-driven MEMS element includes a substrate, a beam, a fixed portion, a fixed electrode portion and a power source. The beam is provided with a lower electrode film, a lower piezoelectric film, a middle electrode film, an upper piezoelectric film and an upper electrode film. The fixed portion fixes one end of the beam onto the substrate so as to hold the beam with a gap above the substrate. The fixed electrode portion has a capacitive gap between the fixed electrode portion and the other end of the beam. In addition, at least one or two of the lower electrode film, the middle electrode film and the upper electrode film is thicker than the rest thereof.

Abstract: A digital demodulator includes a resonator having a resonance frequency same as a carrier frequency to store a charge corresponding to a digital signal modulated by phase shift keying, a capacitor to store the charge of the resonator, an amplifier including an input node and an output node between which the capacitor is connected to convert a stored charge of the capacitor into a voltage signal, and a controller configured to accumulate in the resonator the charge induced by the frequency signal modulated by phase shift keying in a first control mode and configured to transfer the charge of the resonator to the capacitor in a second control mode, to output the voltage signal corresponding to the stored charge of the capacitor from the output node of the amplifier.

Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film device includes an amorphous metal film disposed on a substrate and a piezoelectric film disposed on the amorphous metal. One of crystal axis of the piezoelectric film is aligned in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the amorphous metal.

Abstract: It is made possible to provide a MEMS device that has a low operation voltage, a large contact pressure force, and a large separation force. A MEMS device includes: a substrate; a supporting unit that is provided on the substrate; a fixed electrode that is provided on the substrate; an actuator that includes a first electrode, a first piezoelectric film formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the first piezoelectric film, one end of the actuator being fixed onto the substrate with the supporting unit, the actuator extending in a direction connecting the supporting unit and the fixed electrode, the first electrode being located to face the fixed electrode; and a stopper unit that is located above a straight line connecting the supporting unit and the fixed electrode, and is located on the substrate so as to face the first electrode.

Abstract: A receiver has a first voltage control oscillator configured to generate a first oscillation signal, a second voltage control oscillator configured to generate a second oscillation signal having a first phase, a first phase comparator configured to detect a phase difference between the first and second oscillation signals, a demodulator configured to perform demodulation processing of the received signal and to generate timing information of a second phase included in the first oscillation signal, a second phase comparator configured to detect the phase difference between the first and second oscillation signals, and a first control voltage generator configured to generate a first control voltage for controlling a phase and a frequency of the second voltage control oscillator based on the phase difference detected by the second phase comparator.

Abstract: A MEMS device includes: a first actuator having a first fixed end, including a stacked structure of a first lower electrode, a first piezoelectric film, and a first upper electrode, and being able to be operated by applying voltages to the first lower electrode and the first upper electrode; a second actuator having a second fixed end, being disposed in parallel with the first actuator, including a stacked structure of a second lower electrode, a second piezoelectric film, and a second upper electrode, and being able to be operated by applying voltages to the second lower electrode and the second upper electrode; and an electric circuit element having a first action part connected to the first actuator and a second action part connected to the second actuator.

Abstract: A micro-electromechanical device includes a first piezoelectric actuator and a second piezoelectric actuator. The first piezoelectric actuator includes a first beam fixed on a substrate and a second beam extended in parallel to the first beam from a first connecting end to a first working end. A second piezoelectric actuator includes a third beam, spaced from the first beam, fixed on the substrate and a fourth beam extended in parallel to the third beam from a second connecting end to a second working end. The second working end faces the first working end in a perpendicular direction to a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A multi-axis accelerometer or a multi-axis angular rate sensor which can be made by an easy process and the size of which can be greatly reduced is provided. An inertia sensor has a substrate, a flat proofmass formed on the substrate and a stacked structure including at least a lower electrode, a piezoelectric film, and an upper electrode, an anchor unit formed in a cutout inside of the proofmass and fixed on the substrate, and a plurality of flat piezoelectric beams each having one end connected to the proofmass, the other end connected to the anchor unit, and a stacked structure formed in a cutout inside of the proofmass and including at least a lower electrode, a piezoelectric film, and an upper electrode, wherein the inertia sensor enables to detect an acceleration applied on the proofmass based on charges generated to the electrodes of the piezoelectric beams.

Abstract: In a angular rate sensor, a weight and a base are connected directly through piezoelectric bimorph detectors and piezoelectric bimorph exciters each having a bent portion. When acceleration is applied to the weight, the weight is displaced so as to deform the piezoelectric bimorph detectors. Due to this deformation, charges generated in the piezoelectric bimorph detectors are detected so as to detect acceleration. If an angular rate is applied to the weight when the weight is vibrated by the piezoelectric bimorph exciters, Coriolis force is generated in the weight so as to deform the piezoelectric bimorph detectors. Due to this deformation, charges generated in the piezoelectric bimorph detectors are detected so as to detect the angular rate.

Abstract: A thin film piezoelectric actuator comprises a driving part at least one end of which is supported by an anchor portion. The driving part includes: a piezoelectric film, a first lower electrode provided under a first region of the piezoelectric film, a second lower electrode provided under a second region different from the first region of the piezoelectric film, a first upper electrode provided opposite to the first lower electrode on the piezoelectric film, a second upper electrode provided opposite to the second lower electrode on the piezoelectric film, a first connection part that electrically connects the first lower electrode and the second upper electrode via a first via hole formed in the piezoelectric film, and a second connection part that electrically connects the second lower electrode and the first upper electrode via a second via hole formed in the piezoelectric film.

Abstract: A MEMS switch according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a substrate; a fixing portion formed on the substrate; a movable beam including a lower electrode, a first insulation layer formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the first insulation layer, the movable beam having one end fixed by the fixing portion, the lower electrode and the first insulation layer having an opening going through both of the lower electrode and the first insulation layer; a fixed electrode formed on the substrate facing to a bottom surface of the other end of the movable beam, the fixed electrode facing to the opening; a contact electrode formed in the opening so as to project below the bottom surface of the movable beam and to be electrically connected to the upper electrode as well as to be insulated from the lower electrode; and a second insulation layer formed on the fixed electrode and having an opening facing to the contact electrode so as to insulate the lower electrode from the fixed

Abstract: An inertial sensor includes a first beam, a first proof mass section and a first upper surface stopper section. The first beam extends in a first direction in a plane parallel to a major surface of a substrate and is held with a spacing from the major surface of the substrate. The first beam has a first detecting section including a first upper side electrode, a first lower side electrode, and a first upper side piezoelectric film provided between the first upper side electrode and the first lower side electrode. The first beam has one end connected to the major surface of the substrate. The first proof mass section is connected to the other end of the first beam and held with a spacing from the major surface of the substrate. The first upper surface stopper section is provided on the opposite side of the first proof mass section from the substrate with a spacing from the first proof mass section.

Abstract: A MEMS variable capacitor includes: a first connection beam having one end fixed to a substrate; a first actuation beam connected to the first connection beam; a second actuation beam connected to the first actuation beam and extending in a reverse direction; a second connection beam having one end fixed to the substrate; a third actuation beam connected to the second connection beam; a fourth actuation beam connected to the third actuation beam and extending in a reverse direction; a movable electrode provided between the second and fourth actuation beams; and a fixed electrode provided on the substrate opposed to the movable electrode. The first to fourth actuation beams have a piezoelectric film sandwiched between a lower electrode and an upper electrode, the first and third actuation beams are placed on a line, the second and fourth actuation beams are placed on a line, and the first and second actuation beams and the third and fourth actuation beams are placed symmetrically about a line.

Abstract: It is made possible to provide a piezoelectric driven MEMS device having the distance between the action end and the fixed electrode which is kept constant regardless of whether the residual strain is large or small and having a mechanism which is excellent in reproducibility and reliability. Two piezoelectric driven actuators each having a folded beam structure are disposed in parallel and in a line-symmetric manner, and connected to each other in the vicinity of an action end.

Abstract: An actuator includes: a substrate; a fixed electrode provided on a major surface of the substrate; a first dielectric film provided on the fixed electrode, and made of crystalline material; a movable beam opposed to the major surface, and held above the substrate with a gap thereto; a movable electrode; and a second dielectric film. The movable electrode is provided on a surface of the movable beam facing the fixed electrode, and has an alternate voltage applied between the fixed electrode and the movable electrode. The second dielectric film is provided on a surface of the movable beam facing the fixed electrode, and is made of crystalline material.

Abstract: An infrared-detecting element includes: a substrate; a laminated body; an anchor coupling a part of the laminated body with the substrate and supporting the laminated body with a gap above the substrate; and an amplifier provided on the substrate and connected to at least one of the lower electrode and the upper electrode. The laminated body has a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and a piezoelectric film made of aluminum nitride which is provided between the lower electrode and the upper electrode and in which a c-axis is oriented almost perpendicularly to a film plane. The amplifier has a circuit performing conversion into voltage according to a charge generated in the laminated body.

Abstract: An actuator includes a first beam, a first fixed part, a second beam, a first connective part, and a first fixed electrode. The first beam extends from a first fixed end to a first connective end, and the first fixed part connects the first fixed end and the substrate and supports the first beam above a main surface of the substrate with a gap. The second beam extends from a second connective end to a first action end and is provided in parallel to the first beam, and has a first division part divided by a first slit extending from the first action end toward the second connective end. The first connective part connects the first connective end and the second connective end and holds the second beam above the main surface of the substrate with a gap. The first fixed electrode is provided on the main surface of the substrate being configured to be opposed to a part of the first division part on a side of the first action end.

Abstract: A micro-mechanical device includes a first piezoelectric actuator including a piezoelectric film, and lower and upper electrodes interleaving the piezoelectric film, and extending from a first fixing part on a substrate to a first operating end, and a second piezoelectric actuator connected to the first piezoelectric actuator via a connecting part at the first operating end of the first piezoelectric actuator, and extending from the connecting part to a second operating end, the second piezoelectric actuator being shorter than the first piezoelectric actuator.

Abstract: A thin-film piezoelectric resonator has a piezoelectric film which is formed via a space on a substrate and is supported on the substrate at least one location, an upper electrode which has a plurality of electrode layers and a connection part connecting the electrode layers to each other, each of the electrode layers being formed on the piezoelectric film, having the same width and being arranged at the same interval as the width, a lower electrode formed under the piezoelectric film, a first pad which is formed on the substrate and is electrically connected to the upper electrode, and a second pad which is formed on the substrate and is electrically connected to the lower electrode.

Abstract: An actuator includes a substrate, a fixed electrode provided on a major surface of the substrate, a movable beam opposed to the major surface and held above the substrate with a gap thereto, and a dielectric film provided between the fixed electrode and the movable beam. The dielectric film is made of aluminum nitride oriented along c-axis with an orientation full width at half maximum of 4.6 degrees or less.