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US 2010/0301705 A1Published application
Piezoelectric actuator and method of manufacturing the same
AssigneesTDK Corporation, SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.
InventorKenjiro HATA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A piezoelectric actuator includes a supporting substrate, a main body having a first piezoelectric laminate, a second piezoelectric laminate, and a displacement portion, and a first elastic layer. The first elastic layer is fixed to the main body so as to connect a lower surface of the first piezoelectric laminate, a lower surface of the second piezoelectric laminate, a side surface of the first piezoelectric laminate, and a side surface of the second piezoelectric laminate. A first region to fourth region of the first elastic layer is fixed to the principal surface of the supporting substrate by a first to fourth bonding portions. A non-bonding surface is not fixed to the principal surface of the supporting substrate.
Claims12
A piezoelectric actuator comprising:
- a supporting substrate;
- a main body having a first piezoelectric laminate including a first upper electrode layer, a first lower electrode layer, and a first piezoelectric layer interposed between the first upper electrode layer and the first lower electrode layer, a second piezoelectric laminate including a second upper electrode layer, a second lower electrode layer, and a second piezoelectric layer interposed between the second upper electrode layer and the second lower electrode layer, and a displacement portion capable of being displaced relative to the supporting substrate;
- and
- a first elastic layer,
- wherein the main body is provided above a principal surface of the supporting substrate,
- wherein the first piezoelectric laminate has a direction which intersects the principal surface of the supporting substrate as a lamination direction, and extends along a first imaginary line within a plane parallel to the principal surface of the supporting substrate,
- wherein the second piezoelectric laminate has a direction which intersects the principal surface of the supporting substrate as a lamination direction, extends along a second imaginary line within the plane parallel to the principal surface of the supporting substrate, and is spaced apart from the first piezoelectric laminate,
- wherein the displacement portion is fixed between a front end of the first piezoelectric laminate and a front end of the second piezoelectric laminate,
- wherein the first elastic layer is fixed to the main body so as to connect a lower surface of the first piezoelectric laminate which faces the supporting substrate, a lower surface of the second piezoelectric laminate which faces the supporting substrate, at least a portion of a side surface of the first piezoelectric laminate, and at least a portion of a side surface of the second piezoelectric laminate,
- wherein a first region of the first elastic layer provided on a lower surface of a base end of the first piezoelectric laminate is fixed to the principal surface of the supporting substrate by a first bonding portion,
- wherein a second region of the first elastic layer provided on a lower surface of a base end of the second piezoelectric laminate is fixed to the principal surface of the supporting substrate by a second bonding portion,
- wherein at least a portion of a third region of the first elastic layer provided on a side surface of the first piezoelectric laminate is fixed to the principal surface of the supporting substrate by a third bonding portion,
- wherein at least a portion of a fourth region of the first elastic layer provided on the side surface of the second piezoelectric laminate is fixed to the principal surface of the supporting substrate by a fourth bonding portion,
- wherein a non-bonding surface other than surfaces, which come in contact with the first bonding portion, the second bonding portion, the third bonding portion, and the fourth bonding portion, in the lower surface of the first elastic layer which faces the supporting substrate, is not fixed to the principal surface of the supporting substrate, or is fixed to the principal surface of the supporting substrate by a member whose modulus of elasticity is lower than the first bonding portion, the second bonding portion, the third bonding portion, and the fourth bonding portion.
11 more elements
A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming on a temporary substrate, a main body having a first piezoelectric laminate including a first upper electrode layer, a first lower electrode layer, and a first piezoelectric layer interposed between the first upper electrode layer and the first lower electrode layer, and extending along a first imaginary line within a plane parallel to a principal surface of the temporary substrate, a second piezoelectric laminate including a second upper electrode layer, a second lower electrode layer, and a second piezoelectric layer interposed between the second upper electrode layer and the second lower electrode layer, extending along a second imaginary line within the plane parallel to the principal surface of the temporary substrate, and spaced apart from the first piezoelectric laminate, and a displacement portion fixed between a front end of the first piezoelectric laminate and a front end of the second piezoelectric laminate;
- (b) forming a first elastic layer on the main body so as to cover the main body;
- (c) forming a bonding layer having a pattern which covers a first region of the first elastic layer provided on a base end of the first piezoelectric laminate, a second region of the first elastic layer provided on a base end of the second piezoelectric laminate, at least a portion of a third region of the first elastic layer provided on a side surface of the first piezoelectric laminate, and at least a portion of a fourth region of the first elastic layer provided on the side surface of the second piezoelectric laminate and which exposes the first elastic layer other than these regions;
- (d) fixing a supporting substrate on the bonding layer so as to form a space gap which comes in contact with a non-bonding surface between the non-bonding surface of the first elastic layer where the bonding layer is not formed, and the principal surface of the supporting substrate;
- and
- (e) removing the temporary substrate.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.