Abstract: An electronic pulse generation device has an emitter section having a plate shape, a cathode electrode formed on a front surface of the emitter section, an anode electrode formed on a back surface of the emitter section, and a pulse generation source which applies a drive voltage between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode through a resistor. The anode electrode is connected to GND through another resistor. A collector electrode is provided above the cathode electrode, and the collector electrode is coated with a phosphor layer. A bias voltage is applied to the collector electrode through another resistor.

Abstract: There is disclosed a piezoelectric/electrostrictive body which has superior piezoelectric/electrostrictive properties and which exhibits a sufficient durability even in a case where a flexural displacement is repeated a large number of times. A piezoelectric/electrostrictive body is constituted of a large number of crystal grains having the piezoelectric/electrostrictive properties in the form of a film or a layer having one or more layers. A number ratio of crystal grains whose grain diameters W in a width direction are longer than grain diameters T in a thickness direction is 70% or more of a large number of crystal grains observed in an arbitrary section in the thickness direction.

Abstract: Heat-treating niobium pentoxide powder causes the powder to become agglutinated and bonded while phase transformation from an orthorhombic crystal to a monoclinic crystal occurs and resultantly bar-shaped c-axis-oriented niobium pentoxide particles, the longitudinal direction of which is identical to the c axis direction, are formed. A slurry is produced by mixing the c-axis-oriented niobium pentioxide particles with lithium carbonate and a binder and is molded as a tape by a doctor blade method to form a sheet-shaped compact. By so doing, bar-shaped or columnar c-axis oriented niobium pentoxide particles are aligned in the direction of forming the tape and in the meantime a compact filled with lithium carbonate is produced. By heating the compact, a dielectric layer including a c-axis-oriented lithium niobate polycrystalline material is produced.

Abstract: There is disclosed a piezoelectric/electrostrictive body which has superior piezoelectric/electrostrictive properties and which exhibits a sufficient durability even in a case where a flexural displacement is repeated a large number of times. A piezoelectric/electrostrictive body 30 is constituted of a large number of crystal grains 31 having the piezoelectric/electrostrictive properties in the form of a film or a layer having one or more layers. A number ratio of crystal grains 32, a part of which is exposed to at least one of interfaces 35a, 35b between the bodies and the outside in a thickness direction, is 80% or more of a large number of crystal grains 31 observed in an arbitrary section in the thickness direction.

Abstract: A light emission device has an emitter made of a dielectric material, a cathode electrode disposed on a surface of the emitter, an anode electrode disposed on a reverse surface of the emitter, and a pulse generation source for applying a drive voltage between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode through a resistor. A fluorescent body is disposed on the surface of the emitter out of contact with the cathode, but as closely to the cathode electrode as possible.

Abstract: An electron-emitting apparatus includes an emitter section made of a dielectric material, lower electrodes, upper electrodes having micro through holes, insulating layers disposed on the upper surface of the emitter section and between the adjacent upper electrodes, and focusing electrodes to which a predetermine potential is applied and which are disposed on the insulating layers. The electron-emitting apparatus applies a negative potential to the upper electrode to accumulate electrons in the emitter section and then applies a positive potential to the upper electrode. As a result, the polarization of the emitter section is reversed, and the accumulated electrons are emitted through the micro through holes in the upper electrodes by Coulomb repulsion. Owing to electric fields generated by the focusing electrodes, the emitted electrons travel in the upward direction of the upper electrode without spreading into a shape of a cone.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device includes: a ceramic substrate having a frame-like thick portion, a thin diaphragm portion, and a cavity formed by the thick portion and the thin diaphragm portion to communicate with the outside; and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element having a layered structure including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film, and an upper electrode. Furthermore, the thin diaphragm portion is provided with an outward protruding arch shape, and in the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element, there remains a tensile stress parallel to a fixed surface of the element to the thin diaphragm portion. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive device is superior in response, and in the device high-precision (high-resolution, high-sensitivity) detection is possible, while effectively preventing decay of vibration of a thin diaphragm portion and maintaining displacement (amplitude) to be high.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device includes: a ceramic substrate having a thick portion and a thin diaphragm portion; and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element having a layered structure including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film, and an upper electrode, and the thin diaphragm portion of the ceramic substrate is constituted to vibrate in conjunction with the driving of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element. Furthermore, shape and dimension relations defined in the following (A) to (C) are satisfied: (A) a shape of the thin diaphragm portion 12 is an outward protruding arch shape, and an outward protrusion height of the arch shape is in a range of 5 to 50 ?m; (B) a mounting width of the thin diaphragm portion is in a range of 600 to 2000 ?m; and (C) a ratio (height/width) of the height to the width of the thick portion is in a range of 0.25 to 3.

Abstract: There is disclosed a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type device 1 provided with: a thin substrate 2 made of a ceramic; and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating portion 5 disposed on the substrate 2 and constituted by successively laminating a lower electrode film 3a, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film 4 containing a large number of crystal particles constituted of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive composition, and an upper electrode film 3b. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive composition contains one or more alkali metal elements selected from the group consisting of lithium (Li), potassium (K), and sodium (Na), and one or more metal elements selected from the group consisting of niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), antimony (Sb), and silver (Ag) (however, surely containing niobium (Nb), and circle equivalent diameters of 90% or more of the large number of crystal particles are in a range of 0.3 to 50 ?m.

Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric/electrostrictive porcelain composition capable of manufacturing a piezoelectric/electrostrictive article or a piezoelectric/electrostrictive portion which exhibits superior piezoelectric/electrostrictive characteristics without containing lead (Pb). The piezoelectric/electrostrictive porcelain composition contains as a main component a binary solid solution represented by the general formula (1): (1?n)(Ag1-a-b-cLiaNabKc) (Nb1-x-y-zTaxSbyVz)O3+nM1M2O3 wherein 0?a?0.2, 0?b?0.95, 0?c?0.95, 0<(1?a?b?c)?1, 0?x?0.5, 0?y?0.2, 0?z?0.2, 0?(y+z)?0.3, 0?n?0.2, wherein in the general formula (1), M1 and M2 are combinations of metal elements which satisfy predetermined conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for controlling the shrinkage of formed ceramic bodies, by which it is possible to suppress fluctuation of the shrinkage of formed ceramic bodies and to cause the shrinkage to approximate the target rate. The method comprises controlling the shrinkage of formed ceramic bodies in manufacturing ceramic products by a predetermined manufacturing process from ceramic powder ground by a dry-type ball mill. Such control can be achieved by determining a correlation between the change in the amount of the ground ceramic powder taken out from the dry-type ball mill with elapse time and the shrinkage during firing of the formed ceramic body, and thereafter adjusting the manufacturing conditions based on the previously-determined conditions for the above-mentioned manufacturing process and the correlation with respect to the shrinkage obtained.

Abstract: A display device has first row select lines for selecting rows of picture elements, picture element signal lines for supplying picture element signals to picture elements which are selected, a drive unit having drive circuits arrayed at respective picture elements each for driving the corresponding actuator in response to a picture element signal, and a selector unit for selecting the actuators corresponding to selected picture elements. Each of the drive circuits has a drives potential generating circuit for applying a drive potential based on a signal from a picture element signal line to upper electrodes of actuators. The selector unit has selector circuits for applying a select potential to lower electrodes of the actuators corresponding to selected picture elements.

Abstract: A ceramic device has an actuator element which includes a shape-retaining layer, an upper electrode formed on an upper portion of the shape-retaining layer, and a lower electrode formed on a lower portion of the shape-retaining layer. A vibrating section of ceramics supports the actuator element and a fixed section of ceramics vibratingly supports the vibrating section. An electrode material of the lower electrode contacting the vibrating section contains an additive in an amount of 0.01% by weight to 20% by weight. The electrode material contains platinum as a major component, for example. The additive to the electrode material is preferably zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, or titanium oxide.

Abstract: A light source has a rear glass substrate and a front glass substrate having a plate surface disposed in facing relation to a principal surface of the rear glass substrate. The plate surface of the front glass substrate is coated with a phosphor. A two-dimensional array of electron emitters is disposed on the principal surface of the rear glass substrate. A space defined between the rear glass substrate and the front glass substrate is filled with a gas. The gas may be an Hg (mercury) gas or an Xe (xenon) gas.

Abstract: A dielectric device of higher performance is provided. An electron emitter, to which the dielectric device is applied is provided with: an emitter including a dielectric; and an upper electrode and a lower electrode to which drive voltage is applied in order to emit electrons. The emitter is formed by the aerosol deposition method or the sol impregnation method.

Abstract: A higher performance dielectric device is provided. An electron emitter applying the dielectric device according to the present invention includes an emitter formed of a dielectric, and an upper electrode and a lower electrode to which a drive voltage is applied to cause electron emission. The emitter includes plural dielectric particles, and plural dielectric particles of smaller particle size which are filled in spaces between the plural dielectric particles. The emitter having the aforesaid construction is formed by an aerosol deposition method or a sol impregnation method.

Abstract: A dielectric device of higher performance is provided. An electron emitter, to which the dielectric device is applied is provided with: an emitter including a dielectric; and an upper electrode and a lower electrode to which drive voltage is applied in order to emit electrons. The emitter is formed by the aerosol deposition method or the sol impregnation method, and the surface roughness of the upper surface thereof is controlled in the range from 0.1 to 3 in Ra.

Abstract: During each of frame periods, an image including gradation information is displayed at once on a display screen. Electrons are emitted in a second stage from all the pixels, independent of row scanning, separately from a first stage based on the row scanning. A display has a plurality of electron emitters arrayed in association with a plurality of pixels, and the image is displayed by electrons emitted from electron emitters. In each of the electron emitters, electrons are emitted from a first electrode toward an emitter to charge the emitter in the first stage, and the electrons are emitted from the emitter in the second stage.

Abstract: An electron emitter has an emitter section having a plate shape, a cathode electrode formed on a front surface of the emitter section, and an anode electrode formed on a back surface of the emitter section. A drive voltage from a pulse generation source is applied between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode through a resistor. The anode electrode is connected to GND (ground) through another resistor. A collector electrode is provided above the cathode electrode, and the collector electrode is coated with a fluorescent layer. A bias voltage is applied to the collector electrode through another resistor.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device includes a pair of mutually opposing thin plate sections, a movable section, and a fixing section for supporting the thin plate sections and the movable section. Piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements are arranged on at least one thin plate section of the pair of thin plate sections. A hole is formed by both inner walls of the pair of thin plate sections, an inner wall of the movable section, and an inner wall of the fixing section. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive device further includes at least one beam section extending from the inner wall of the movable section to the inner wall of the fixing section.