Piezoelectric element, ink-jet head with same, and their manufacturing methods
AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
InventorsTohru Nakagawa, Hideo Torii
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Abstract
A piezoelectric element 1 includes a lower electrode 2, a piezoelectric film 3 and an upper electrode 4 stacked in this order. The surface of the upper electrode 4 of the piezoelectric element 1 is exposed to a zirconium compound 6.
Claims12
A piezoelectric element comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and a lead compound-containing piezoelectric body sandwiched between the first and second electrodes, wherein
- the piezoelectric body is made of an aggregate of a plurality of crystals,
- zirconium oxide exists at a grain boundary between the crystals and zirconium element exists at the grain boundary in a larger composition ratio than lead element.
An inkjet head comprising:
- a head body including a nozzle and a pressure chamber which is communicated with the nozzle and contains ink;
- and a piezoelectric element which is arranged to face the pressure chamber at part of one of its surfaces intersecting the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element and applies a pressure to the ink in the pressure chamber such that the ink is discharged from the nozzle to a recording medium, wherein
- the piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a lead compound-containing piezoelectric body sandwiched between the first and second electrodes,
- the piezoelectric body is made of an aggregate of a plurality of crystals,
- zirconium oxide exists at a grain boundary between the crystals and zirconium element exists at the grain boundary in a larger composition ratio than lead element.
A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric element comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and a lead compound-containing piezoelectric body sandwiched between the first and second electrodes, the method comprising the steps of:
- stacking the first electrode, the piezoelectric body and the second electrode in this order;
- and
- exposing at least one of the first and second electrodes to a chemical substance containing at least one of zirconium alkoxide, zirconium acetyl acetonate and zirconium carboxylate after the stacking step.
A method for manufacturing an inkjet head comprising:
- a head body including a nozzle and a pressure chamber which is communicated with the nozzle and contains ink;
- and a piezoelectric element which is arranged to face the pressure chamber at part of one of its surfaces intersecting the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element and applies a pressure to the ink in the pressure chamber such that the ink is discharged from the nozzle to a recording medium, wherein the piezoelectric element comprises a first electrode, a second electrode and a lead compound-containing piezoelectric body sandwiched between the first and second electrodes, the method comprising the steps of:
- stacking the first electrode, the piezoelectric body and the second electrode in this order;
- and
- exposing at least one of the first and second electrodes to a chemical substance containing at least one of zirconium alkoxide, zirconium acetyl acetonate and zirconium carboxylate after the stacking step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.