A method of manufacturing a thin film piezoelectric element

A thin film piezoelectric element, comprising:

• a first structure having a peripheral portion and comprising as a sequential stack of layers, a first main electrode layer, a first opposed electrode layer, and a first piezoelectric thin film having a first polarizing direction located between said first electrode layers;
• a second structure having a peripheral portion and comprising as a sequential stack of layers, a second main electrode layer, a second opposed electrode layer and a second piezoelectric thin film having a second polarizing direction located between said second electrode layers;
• an insulating resin layer covering the peripheral portions of said first and second structures;
• and
• at least one connecting electrode pad located at a side of one of said first and second structures, for connecting said main electrode layer and said opposed electrode layer of said structures to external equipment,
• wherein each said first and second structures has a cross-sectional shape such that said piezoelectric thin film is tapered, diminishing in width, from a portion near said main electrode layer to a portion near said opposed electrode layer, and the first and second opposed electrode layers of adjacent structures are bonded to each other, and each polarizing direction of the piezoelectric thin films is identical to the direction of each opposed electrode layer.

A thin film piezoelectric element, comprising in combination therewith, an actuator;

• the combination comprising:
• two sets of paired structures located symmetrically with respect to a lengthwise axis of the actuator, and each set comprising a first structure and a second structure;
• said first structure comprising as a sequential stack of layers, a first main electrode layer, a first opposed electrode layer, and a first piezoelectric thin film having a first polarizing direction located between said first electrode layers;
• said second structure comprising as a sequential stack of layers, a second main electrode layer, a second opposed electrode layer and a second piezoelectric thin film having a second polarizing direction located between said second electrode layers;
• an insulating resin layer covering each of said paired structures;
• and
• at least one connecting electrode pad located at a side of one of each of said paired structures, for connecting said main electrode layer and said opposed electrode layer of said structures to external equipment,
• wherein each said first and second structures of a set has a cross-sectional shape such that said piezoelectric thin film is tapered, diminishing in width, from a portion near said main electrode layer to a portion near said opposed electrode layer, and the first and second opposed electrode layers of adjacent structures of a set are bonded to each other, and each polarizing direction of the piezoelectric thin films is identical to the direction of each opposed electrode layer.