Droplet discharge head and image forming apparatus incorporating same

Abstract

A droplet discharge head includes a nozzle, a substrate, a diaphragm, and an electromechanical transducer element. The nozzle discharges droplets. The substrate includes a pressurization chamber communicated with the nozzle. The diaphragm is disposed on the substrate. The electromechanical transducer element is disposed on the diaphragm. The electromechanical transducer element includes an electromechanical transducer film, a lower electrode, and an upper electrode. The electromechanical transducer film includes a piezoelectric material. The lower electrode is disposed below the electromechanical transducer film, to apply voltage to the electromechanical transducer film. The upper electrode is disposed above the electromechanical transducer film, to apply voltage to the electromechanical transducer film. The diaphragm includes an SiO2 film, an SiN film, and a Poly-Si film laminated one on another. The diaphragm has, in a direction of lamination, a thickness of not less than 1 μm and not greater than 3 μm. The diaphragm has a deflection projecting toward the pressurization chamber with no voltage applied to the electromechanical transducer film. A radius of curvature of the deflection in a transverse direction of the diaphragm is in a range of not less than 2000 μm and not greater than 6000 μm.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.