Method of forming electromechanical transducer film, electromechanical transducer film, electromechanical transducer element, and liquid discharge head

An electromechanical transducer element comprising:

• a first electrode;
• a second electrode;
• and
• an electromechanical transducer film disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode,
• wherein the electromechanical transducer film is formed as layers,
• wherein the layers are formed by repeatedly performing a method including
• a surface modification process of modifying a portion of a surface of a first electrode;
• an application process of applying a sol-gel solution to the portion of the surface of the first electrode by an inkjet method, the portion of the surface of the first electrode having been modified by the surface modification process;
• and
• processes of drying, thermally decomposing, and crystallizing the sol-gel solution applied to the portion of the surface of the first electrode by the application process,
• wherein each of the layers having a desired thickness is formed on a desired pattern area on the surface of the first electrode by repeating the surface modification process, the application process, and the processes of drying, thermally decomposing, and crystallizing the sol-gel solution,
• wherein, in the application process of the method, each of dots of the sol-gel solution applied by the inkjet method drops onto both a first area inside the desired pattern area and a second area outside the desired pattern area, and
• wherein the first area is included in a hydrophilic area on the surface of the first electrode, the hydrophilic area having been modified by the surface modification process, and the second area is included in a hydrophobic area on the surface of the first electrode, the hydrophobic area having been modified by the surface modification process.

A liquid discharge head that utilizes an electromechanical transducer element,

• the electromechanical transducer element comprising:
• a first electrode;
• a second electrode;
• and
• an electromechanical transducer film disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode,
• wherein the electromechanical transducer film is formed as layers,
• wherein the layers are formed by repeatedly performing a method including
• a surface modification process of modifying a portion of a surface of a first electrode;
• an application process of applying a sol-gel solution to the portion of the surface of the first electrode by an inkjet method, the portion of the surface of the first electrode having been modified by the surface modification process;
• and
• processes of drying, thermally decomposing, and crystallizing the sol-gel solution applied to the portion of the surface of the first electrode by the application process,
• wherein each of the layers having a desired thickness is formed on a desired pattern area by repeating the surface modification process, the application process, and the processes of drying, thermally decomposing, and crystallizing the sol-gel solution,
• wherein, in the application process of the method, each of dots of the sot-gel solution applied by the inkjet method drops onto both a first area inside the desired pattern area and a second area outside the desired pattern area,
• wherein the first area is included in a hydrophilic area on the surface of the first electrode, the hydrophilic area having been modified by the surface modification process, and the second area is included in a hydrophobic area on the surface of the first electrode, the hydrophobic area having been modified by the surface modification process,
• wherein the electromechanical transducer film is formed of a metal complex oxide,
• wherein top surfaces of the first electrode and the second electrode include corresponding electrodes, and
• wherein each of the corresponding electrodes is formed of a platinum group metal, an oxide of a platinum group metal, or a laminated film including several types of platinum group metals and/or oxides of several types of platinum group metals.