Abstract: A flight imaging system and a method suitable where an unmanned flying object equipped with a visible camera and millimeter-wave radar is used, and a structure imaged by the visible camera and millimeter-wave radar mounted on the unmanned flying object are provided. A drone constituting the flight imaging system is equipped with a visible camera and a millimeter-wave radar. A processor of the drone performs control of the visible camera to capture a visible image of a surface layer of the structure, and control the millimeter-wave radar to transmit a millimeter wave toward the structure and receive a reflected wave of the millimeter wave from the structure, in a case of imaging the structure. During flight of the drone, the altitude of the drone is measured by an altitude meter mounted on the drone, altitude information indicating the measured altitude is acquired, and is used, in flying the drone.

Abstract: Provided is a cleaning device that can reduce maintenance-time while injecting a cleaning solution into a gap between head modules so that the cleaning solution or the like is not sucked into an inkjet head. The position of the inkjet head relative to a spray-nozzle is moved in one direction. When relative movement is performed, the relative movement is temporarily stopped or moving speed of the relative movement is reduced at a position where the gap between the head modules faces at least the spray-nozzle. The cleaning solution is sprayed to the gap at a time when the relative movement is temporarily stopped or when the moving speed of the relative movement is reduced. A removing member removing the cleaning solution present in the gap, is provided at a position separated from the spray-nozzle in the one direction by a distance of n times a pitch of the gaps.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a liquid droplet ejection head that is capable of realizing cost reduction by a simple process and obtaining ejection reliability over a long period of time. The method includes: forming a water repellent film on a nozzle forming substrate having a nozzle hole and inside the nozzle hole; adhering a protective film on the water repellent film that is formed on the surface of the nozzle forming substrate; removing the water repellent film formed inside the nozzle by a plasma treatment; and peeling the protective film, wherein polysiloxane is not contained in an adhesion component and a base material of the protective film.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device, including the following on a substrate in the order listed below: a lower electrode, a piezoelectric film which contains a Pb containing perovskite oxide represented by a general expression (P) below, and an upper electrode, in which the piezoelectric film has a layer of pyrochlore oxide on the surface facing the lower electrode, and the average layer thickness of the pyrochlore oxide layer is not greater than 20 nm. AaBbO3??(P) where, A: at least one type of A-site element containing Pb as a major component, B: at least one type of B-site element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Sc, Co, Cu, In, Sn, Ga, Zn, Cd, Fe, and Ni, and O: an oxygen element.

Abstract: A droplet ejection head includes: a nozzle plate which has a nozzle aperture for ejecting droplets of liquid; a flow channel structure including a pressure chamber which contains the liquid and is connected to the nozzle aperture through a flow channel; and a pressure generating element which applies pressure to the liquid in the pressure chamber, wherein an ejection surface of the nozzle plate where the droplets of the liquid are ejected is made of a fluorine-containing DLC film.

Abstract: A piezoelectric film poling method in which, with respect to an unpoled piezoelectric film formed on a substrate by a vapor phase growth method and having a Curie point Tc not higher than 300° C., an electric field greater than a coercive electric field of the film is applied in a predetermined direction under a temperature condition not higher than 0° C. to orient spontaneous polarization of the film in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A piezoelectric MEMS switch includes: a base substrate; a diaphragm arranged to oppose the base substrate via a gap; a first piezoelectric drive section constituted by layering a first lower electrode, a first piezoelectric body and a first upper electrode on a first surface of the diaphragm, the first surface being across the diaphragm from the gap; a second piezoelectric drive section constituted by layering a second lower electrode, a second piezoelectric body and a second upper electrode on a second surface of the diaphragm, the second surface facing the gap; a fixed electrode provided on a gap side of the base substrate; and a movable electrode which is fixed to a second piezoelectric drive section side of the diaphragm and opposes the fixed electrode in such a manner that the movable electrode makes contact with and separates from the fixed electrode according to displacement of the diaphragm.

Abstract: A droplet ejection head includes: a nozzle plate which has a nozzle aperture for ejecting droplets of liquid; a flow channel structure including a pressure chamber which contains the liquid and is connected to the nozzle aperture through a flow channel; and a pressure generating element which applies pressure to the liquid in the pressure chamber, wherein an ejection surface of the nozzle plate where the droplets of the liquid are ejected is made of a fluorine-containing DLC film.

Abstract: The liquid discharge head comprises: a diaphragm; a first piezoelectric member which is formed on a first surface of the diaphragm, the first piezoelectric member driving the diaphragm; and a pressure chamber dividing wall which is formed on a second surface of the diaphragm opposite to the first surface, wherein the first piezoelectric member and the pressure chamber dividing wall are formed by a deposition method.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an orientation film which method is suitable for manufacturing an orientation film containing a ceramic at low cost. The method includes the steps of: (a) forming a film containing a piezoelectric ceramic on a seed substrate in which crystal orientation is controlled at least on a surface thereof by using an aerosol deposition method of injecting powder toward a substrate and depositing the powder on the substrate; and (b) heat-treating the ceramic film formed at step (a) to form an orientation film in which crystal grains contained in the ceramic film is oriented.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator, includes: forming a constraint force buffering layer, the constraint force buffering layer being made of a hardness control material of which hardness changes in accordance with temperature condition; raising the hardness of the constraint force buffering layer by cooling the constraint force buffering layer; and forming a piezoelectric element by a deposition method, on the constraint force buffering layer of which hardness has been raised, wherein: the hardness control material is a shape memory polymer, a glass transition temperature of the shape memory polymer is lower than an operating temperature occurring during driving of the piezoelectric actuator, and the constraint force buffering layer has a higher hardness at a temperature occurring during formation of the piezoelectric element which is lower than the operating temperature.

Abstract: The piezoelectric actuator comprises: a supporting substrate; a thermal stress controlling layer which is formed on the supporting substrate; and a piezoelectric body which is formed as a film onto the thermal stress controlling layer on the supporting substrate at a higher temperature than room temperature, wherein the thermal stress controlling layer reduces a film stress induced by formation of the piezoelectric body.

Abstract: A piezoelectric MEMS switch includes: a base substrate; a diaphragm arranged to oppose the base substrate via a gap; a first piezoelectric drive section constituted by layering a first lower electrode, a first piezoelectric body and a first upper electrode on a first surface of the diaphragm, the first surface being across the diaphragm from the gap; a second piezoelectric drive section constituted by layering a second lower electrode, a second piezoelectric body and a second upper electrode on a second surface of the diaphragm, the second surface facing the gap; a fixed electrode provided on a gap side of the base substrate; and a movable electrode which is fixed to a second piezoelectric drive section side of the diaphragm and opposes the fixed electrode in such a manner that the movable electrode makes contact with and separates from the fixed electrode according to displacement of the diaphragm.

Abstract: The piezoelectric device includes a substrate, a first electrode formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric film formed on the first electrode and a second electrode formed on a second side of the piezoelectric film which is away from a first side where the first electrode is formed. The first electrode is composed of a first layer in contact with the substrate and a second layer in contact with the piezoelectric film. The first layer is formed of a material that is wet etched at a different rate than the substrate. The ink-jet head includes the piezoelectric device, a liquid droplet storing/ejecting member for ejecting ink droplets through a ink spout and provided on the piezoelectric device and a diaphragm for vibrating in response to expansion or contraction of the piezoelectric device and provided between the piezoelectric device and the liquid droplet storing/ejecting member.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device, including the following on a substrate in the order listed below: a lower electrode, a piezoelectric film which contains a Pb containing perovskite oxide represented by a general expression (P) below, and an upper electrode, in which the piezoelectric film has a layer of pyrochlore oxide on the surface facing the lower electrode, and the average layer thickness of the pyrochlore oxide layer is not greater than 20 nm. AaBbO3??(P) where, A: at least one type of A-site element containing Pb as a major component, B: at least one type of B-site element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Sc, Co, Cu, In, Sn, Ga, Zn, Cd, Fe, and Ni, and O: an oxygen element.

Abstract: A film depositing apparatus comprises: a vacuum vessel; an evacuating unit for evacuating the interior of the vacuum vessel; a gas supply source for supplying the vacuum vessel with gases necessary for film deposition; a backing plate that is placed within the vacuum vessel for holding a target formed by sintering; a substrate holder for holding a deposition substrate within the vacuum vessel in a face-to-face relation with the backing plate; and a power supply unit for supplying electric power between the backing plate and the substrate holder to generate a plasma within the vacuum vessel, wherein the backing plate has a smaller thermal expansion coefficient than that of the target which has a sinter density of at least 95%, the sinter density representing the ratio of the actual weight of a sintered form of the target to its theoretical weight.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an orientation film which method is suitable for manufacturing an orientation film containing a ceramic at low cost. The method includes the steps of: (a) forming a ceramic film on a seed substrate in which crystal orientation is controlled at least on a surface thereof by using an aerosol deposition method of injecting powder toward a substrate and depositing the powder on the substrate; and (b) heat-treating the ceramic film formed at step (a) to form an orientation film in which crystal grains contained in the ceramic film is oriented.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device of the present invention includes a piezoelectric material and lower and upper electrodes for applying an electric field to the piezoelectric material. The upper electrode is patterned, and an edge portion of the upper electrode is provided with a structure where an intensity of the electric field exerted on the piezoelectric material gradually decreases along a direction from a central portion toward an edge surface of the upper electrode when the electric field is applied to the piezoelectric material.

Abstract: The piezoelectric actuator comprises: a substrate; a constraint force buffering layer which is formed on the substrate and made of a hardness control material having low hardness; and a piezoelectric element which is formed directly on the constraint force buffering layer.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid storage-discharge member having a liquid storage chamber for storing liquid and a liquid outlet for discharging the liquid from the liquid storage chamber to the outside of the liquid storage chamber, a vibration plate formed on the liquid storage-discharge member and a piezoelectric element having a lower electrode, a piezoelectric body and an upper electrode, which are sequentially formed on the vibration plate. The piezoelectric body includes an edge portion including at least a portion of the piezoelectric body, the portion positioned on the outside of the wall position of the liquid storage chamber, and a main portion, which is the remaining portion of the piezoelectric body. Further, the edge portion and the main portion are formed on different base layers from each other and the fracture stress of the edge portion is higher than that of the main portion.