Abstract: There is disclosed a manufacturing method of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type device including a ceramic substrate, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive operation portion containing a lower electrode, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer, and upper electrode stacked on the substrate, and the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer being formed beyond at least one of electrodes to form projected portions at its ends, the method comprising the steps of forming the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer beyond at least one of electrodes to project ends of the layer; applying a coating liquid in an amount sufficient to make the coating liquid permeate through a gap between at least a projected portion of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer and the substrate, and coat a predetermined portion of said at least one of electrodes; and drying thus applied coating liquid to form a coupling member to couple a projected portion of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer.

Abstract: There is disclosed a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type device which has a flexural displacement and durability equal to or more than those of a prior art piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type device and which has a remarkably high resonance frequency and which is superior in high-speed response. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type device comprises: a substrate formed of ceramic; and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive operation portion including a lower electrode, piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer, and upper electrode which are successively stacked on the substrate and including a projecting end of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer with which an upper surface of the lower electrode and a lower surface of the upper electrode are coated, and a projecting portion of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer is a connecting material constituted of a hybrid material in which inorganic particles are scattered in a matrix of a polymer compound, and is connected to the substrate.

Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film device having larger resonant frequency while having flexural displacement that is equal to or superior to that of conventional piezoelectric/electrostrictive film device, and being excellent in rapid response. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive film device comprises a substrate comprising ceramics, and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer and an upper electrode that are sequentially layered on the substrate, the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer covering an upper surface of the lower electrode and a lower surface of the upper electrode and protruding over edges thereof, wherein the protruded portion of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer is coupled to the substrate via a coupling member.

Abstract: A drive device which does not cause breakage of a pump chamber or a seal due to thermal expansion of operation fluid is provided.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sintered body is provided. A molding powder, a gel-forming material powder and a solvent are mixed at a temperature not higher than a dissolving point of the gel-forming material. A treatment of pulverizing agglomerates containing the molding powder, gel-forming material powder and solvent absorbed in the gel-forming material powder is carried out. The mixture is then heated to a temperature not lower than the dissolving point thereby forming a sol. The sol is then cooled to a temperature not higher than the gel point, thereby forming a molding material. The molding material is used for producing a sintering body.

Abstract: An aluminum nitride sintered body has characteristics such that an amount of total metal elements other than aluminum is smaller than 100 ppm, and a volume resistivity at room temperature is greater than 1.0×109 &OHgr;·cm and is smaller than 1.0×1013 &OHgr;·cm. A metal including member has such a construction that a metal member is embedded in the aluminum nitride sintered body mentioned above. An electrostatic chuck is made by the metal including member mentioned above. In the metal including member mentioned above in which the metal member is embedded in the aluminum nitride sintered body mentioned above, a volume resistivity thereof can be controlled without adding a low resistance material in aluminum nitride.

Abstract: In AlN crystal grains constituting a sintered body, is contained: 150 ppm-0.5 wt. %, preferably at most 0.1 wt.%, of at least one rare earth element (as oxide thereof); at most 900 ppm, preferably at most 500 ppm of at least one metal impurity except rare earth elements; and preferably at least 0.5 wt. % of oxygen measured by an electron probe X-ray microanalyzer. The grains have an average grain diameter of preferably at least 3.0 .mu.m and show a main peak in the wavelength range of 350-370 nm of spectrum obtained by a cathode luminescence method. The sintered body composed of AlN crystal grains has a volume resistivity at room temperature of at most 1.0.times.10.sup.12 .OMEGA..multidot.cm.

Abstract: An aluminum nitride sintered body has characteristics such that an amount of total metal elements other than aluminum is smaller than 100 ppm, and a volume resistivity at room temperature is greater than 1.0.times.10.sup.9 .OMEGA..multidot.cm and is smaller than 1.0.times.10.sup.13 .OMEGA..multidot.cm. A metal including member has such a construction that a metal member is embedded in the aluminum nitride sintered body mentioned above. An electrostatic chuck is made by the metal including member mentioned above. In the metal including member mentioned above in which the metal member is embedded in the aluminum nitride sintered body mentioned above, a volume resistivity thereof can be controlled without adding a low resistance material in aluminum nitride.

Abstract: An aluminum nitride sintered body is characterized by having a g-value of an unpaired electron in a spectrum of an electron spin resonance being not less than 2.0010. The aluminum nitride sintered body is produced by sintering a raw material composed of powdery aluminum nitride at a temperature of not less than 1730.degree. C. to not more than 1920.degree. under a pressure of not less than 80 kg/cm.sup.2.

Abstract: An aluminum nitride sintered body is characterized by having a g-value of an unpaired electron in a spectrum of an electron spin resonance being not less than 2.0010. The aluminum nitride sintered body is produced by sintering a raw material composed of powdery aluminum nitride at a temperature of not less than 1730.degree. C. to not more than 1920.degree. under a pressure of not less than 80 kg/cm.sup.2.