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 piezoelectric device includes a substrate; and a laminated film formed above the substrate. The laminated film includes a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode layer formed in this order, and the lower electrode layer is a metal electrode layer containing as one or more main components one or more nonnoble metals and/or one or more nonnoble alloys. Preferably, the one or more main components are one or more of the metals Cr, W, Ti, Al, Fe, Mo, In, Sn, Ni, Cu, Co, and Ta, and alloys of the metals.

Abstract: A piezoelectric film of the present invention has a surface roughness value P-V of not more than 170.0 nm, which is defined by a difference between a maximum height (peak value P) and a minimum height (valley value V) on a film surface, a piezoelectric constant d31 greater than 150 pC/N and a breakdown voltage of 80 V or more, which is defined by an applied voltage that results in a current value of 1 ?A or more.

Abstract: A method of driving a piezoelectric actuator including: a piezoelectric element containing a piezoelectric body having coercive field points on a negative field side and a positive field side respectively and having asymmetrical bipolar polarization—electric field hysteresis characteristics in which an absolute value of a coercive electric field on the negative field side and a coercive electric field value on the positive field side are mutually different, and a pair of electrodes for applying voltage to the piezoelectric body; and a diaphragm which externally transmits, as displacement, distortion produced in the piezoelectric body when the voltage is applied to the piezoelectric body, includes the step of driving the piezoelectric actuator between a positive drive voltage and a negative drive voltage in a range not exceeding the coercive electric field, from among the positive and negative coercive electric fields, which has the larger absolute value.

Abstract: A method of physical vapor deposition includes applying a first radio frequency signal having a first phase to a cathode in a physical vapor deposition apparatus, wherein the cathode includes a sputtering target, applying a second radio frequency signal having a second phase to a chuck in the physical vapor deposition apparatus, wherein the chuck supports a substrate, and wherein a difference between the first and second phases creates a positive self bias direct current voltage on the substrate, and depositing a material from the sputtering target onto the substrate.

Abstract: A method of physical vapor deposition includes applying a radio frequency signal to a cathode in a physical vapor deposition apparatus, wherein the cathode includes a sputtering target, electrically connecting a chuck in the physical vapor deposition apparatus to an impedance matching network, wherein the chuck supports a substrate, and wherein the impedance matching network includes at least one capacitor, and depositing material from the sputtering target onto the substrate.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes: a substrate; a first electrode which is layered over the substrate; a first piezoelectric film which is layered over the first electrode; a metal oxide film which is layered over the first piezoelectric film; a metal film which is layered over the metal oxide film; a second piezoelectric film which is layered over the metal film; and a second electrode which is layered over the second piezoelectric film, wherein a polarizing direction of the first piezoelectric film and a polarizing direction of the second piezoelectric film are different from each other.

Abstract: A piezoelectric drive type MEMS element includes: a first substrate including, in a portion thereof, a movable part which is driven by a piezoelectric drive section to be displaced in a convex shape, a movable electrode being provided on a surface of the movable part; and a second substrate which is bonded to the first substrate and supports a fixed electrode facing the movable electrode via a prescribed gap, wherein the piezoelectric drive section includes a piezoelectric film provided on a region of the first substrate which forms the movable part as a portion of the movable part, and a pair of electrodes disposed so as to sandwich the piezoelectric film.

Abstract: A multilayer body which includes a low-resistance metal layer having a low electrical resistance, excellent thermal resistance and low surface irregularity is provided. The multilayer body includes a substrate, and a low-resistance metal layer which is formed on the substrate and has a single-layer structure or a multilayer structure of two or more sublayers. The low-resistance metal layer includes a gold-containing layer or sublayer composed of gold and another metal.

Abstract: An optical module includes a substrate, an optical element directly built in a predetermined area of the substrate, and a piezoelectric element directly formed on the substrate along the circumference of the optical element. The piezoelectric element drives the optical element, by displacing the predetermined area of the substrate, in such a manner to displace the optical element in the direction of the optical axis of the optical element or to incline the optical axis of the optical element.

Abstract: A piezoelectric film of a perovskite oxide represented by a general expression (P) below and has a pyrochlore free single phase perovskite structure with a/b?1.06. Pba(Zrx,Tiy,Mb-x-y)bOc??(P) (where, M represents one or more types of metal elements, 0<x<b, 0<y<b, 0?b-x-y, and a:b:c=1:1:3 is standard, but the molar ratio may deviate from the standard within a range in which a perovskite structure can be obtained.

Abstract: A piezoelectric material of the invention includes a perovskite oxide (P) (which may contain inevitable impurities) represented by the formula below: Pba(Zrx,Tiy,Mb-x-y)bOc??(P) (wherein M represents one or two or more metal elements; wherein 0<x<b, 0<y<b, 0?b-x-y; and wherein a molar ratio a:b:c is 1:1:3 as a standard; however, the molar ratio may be varied from the standard molar ratio within a range where a perovskite structure is obtained). The perovskite oxide (P) has a signal intensity ratio I(Pb4+)/I(Pb2+) between Pb4+ and Pb2+ of more than 0 and less than 0.60 measured through XAFS.

Abstract: Provided is a perovskite-type oxide film having a perovskite-type crystal structure and containing lead as a chief component, which, when subjected to Raman microspectroscopy at a plurality of points on a surface thereof so as to measure Raman spectra upon application of an electric field of 100 kV/cm and upon application of no electric field, has a mean of absolute values of peak shift amounts that is 2.2 cm?1 or less, with the peak shift amounts being found between Raman spectra in a range of 500 to 650 cm?1 measured upon application of an electric field of 100 kV/cm and Raman spectra in the range of 500 to 650 cm?1 measured upon application of no electric field. A production process and an evaluation method for such a film as well as a device using such a film are also provided.

Abstract: A method of forming a pattern of an inorganic material film, which method is more versatile, easy, and practical. The method includes the steps of: (a) forming a sacrifice layer having a pattern on a substrate by employing a material having a different thermal expansion coefficient from that of an inorganic material of the inorganic material film; (b) forming an inorganic material layer on the substrate, on which the sacrifice layer has been formed, at a predetermined deposition temperature by employing the inorganic material; (c) lowering a temperature of at least the inorganic material layer to produce cracks in the inorganic material layer formed on the sacrifice layer; and (d) removing the sacrifice layer and the inorganic material layer formed thereon.

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: The piezoelectric device includes a substrate, a first electrode deposited on the substrate, a piezoelectric film deposited on top of at least a part of the first electrode by vapor phase deposition, a second electrode deposited on the piezoelectric film and having a water vapor transmission rate of not more than 1 g/m2/day, and at least one protective film that covers at least peripheries of the second electrode and the piezoelectric film and which has an opening in a position corresponding to the piezoelectric film except the periphery thereof. The piezoelectric device has satisfactory moisture resistance and is capable of effectively preventing the ingress of moisture into the piezoelectric film.

Abstract: A method of driving a piezoelectric actuator including: a piezoelectric element containing a piezoelectric body having coercive field points on a negative field side and a positive field side respectively and having asymmetrical bipolar polarization—electric field hysteresis characteristics in which an absolute value of a coercive electric field on the negative field side and a coercive electric field value on the positive field side are mutually different, and a pair of electrodes for applying voltage to the piezoelectric body; and a diaphragm which externally transmits, as displacement, distortion produced in the piezoelectric body when the voltage is applied to the piezoelectric body, includes the step of driving the piezoelectric actuator between a positive drive voltage and a negative drive voltage in a range not exceeding the coercive electric field, from among the positive and negative coercive electric fields, which has the larger absolute value.

Abstract: A piezoelectric drive type MEMS element includes: a first substrate including, in a portion thereof, a movable part which is driven by a piezoelectric drive section to be displaced in a convex shape, a movable electrode being provided on a surface of the movable part; and a second substrate which is bonded to the first substrate and supports a fixed electrode facing the movable electrode via a prescribed gap, wherein the piezoelectric drive section includes a piezoelectric film provided on a region of the first substrate which forms the movable part as a portion of the movable part, and a pair of electrodes disposed so as to sandwich the piezoelectric film.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device comprises a piezoelectric body and electrodes for applying an electric field in a predetermined direction across the piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body contains an inorganic compound polycrystal, which contains first ferroelectric substance crystals having orientational characteristics at the time free from electric field application and has characteristics such that, with application of at least a predetermined electric field E1, at least part of the first crystals undergoes phase transition to second ferroelectric substance crystals of a crystal system different from the crystal system of the first crystals. The piezoelectric device is actuated under conditions such that a minimum applied electric field Emin and a maximum applied electric field Emax satisfy Emin<E1<Emax.

Abstract: An optical module includes a substrate, an optical element directly built in a predetermined area of the substrate, and a piezoelectric element directly formed on the substrate along the circumference of the optical element. The piezoelectric element drives the optical element, by displacing the predetermined area of the substrate, in such a manner to displace the optical element in the direction of the optical axis of the optical element or to incline the optical axis of the optical element.