# US 2017/0288128 A1 · Piezoelectric ceramic sputtering target, lead-free piezoelectric thin film and piezoelectric thin film element using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0288128 A1 - Document ID: US20170288128A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/466,344 - Filed: 2017-03-22 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-29 - Assignees: TDK Corporation - Applicants: TDK Corporation - Inventors: Tomohisa AZUMA; Masaru NANAO; Tatsuji SANO; Masahito FURUKAWA; Kenta ISHII - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170288128A1 ## CPC - H10N 30/8542: {Alkali metal based oxides, e.g. lithium, sodium or potassium niobates} - C23C 14/088: {of the type ABO3 with A representing alkali, alkaline earth metal or Pb and B representing a refractory or rare earth metal} - C23C 14/3407: {Cathode assembly for sputtering apparatus, e.g. Target} - C23C 14/3414: {Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy} - H01J 37/3426: {Material} - H10N 30/067: Forming single-layered electrodes of multilayered piezoelectric or electrostrictive parts - H10N 30/076: by vapour phase deposition - H10N 30/871: {Single-layered electrodes of multilayer piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices, e.g. internal electrodes} - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A piezoelectric ceramic sputtering target containing a perovskite type oxide represented by chemical formula (I) of ABO3 as a main component, wherein the component A of the chemical formula (I) contains at least K (potassium) and/or Na (sodium), the component B of the chemical formula (I) contains at least one selected from the group consisting of Nb (niobium), Ta (tantalum) and Zr (zirconium) with Nb (niobium) as a necessity, the piezoelectric ceramic sputtering target is composed of a plurality of crystal grains and grain boundaries existing among the crystal grains, and in the grain boundary, the molar ratio of at least one of Nb (niobium), Ta (tantalum), and Zr (zirconium) in the B components is higher than the molar ratio in the interior of the crystal grains by 30% or more. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A piezoelectric ceramic sputtering target comprising a perovskite type oxide represented by chemical formula (I) of ABO3 as a main component, wherein the component A of the chemical formula (I) contains at least K (potassium) and/or Na (sodium), the component B of the chemical formula (I) contains at least one selected from the group consisting of Nb (niobium), Ta (tantalum) and Zr (zirconium) with Nb (niobium) as a necessity, the piezoelectric ceramic sputtering target is composed of a plurality of crystal grains and grain boundaries existing among the crystal grains, and in the grain boundary, the molar ratio of at least one of Nb (niobium), Ta (tantalum), and Zr (zirconium) in the component B is higher than the molar ratio in the interior of the crystal grains by 30% or more. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The piezoelectric ceramic sputtering target of claim 1, wherein the component A further contains Sr (strontium) and/or Li (lithium). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The piezoelectric ceramic sputtering target of claim 1, wherein Mn (manganese) and/or Cu (copper) are/is further contained as subcomponent, and the subcomponent is contained in an amount of 1mass % or less when Mn and Cu are calculated in terms of MnO and CuO respectively. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A lead-free piezoelectric thin film deposited by using the piezoelectric ceramic sputtering target of claim 1. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A piezoelectric thin film element comprising the lead-free piezoelectric thin film of claim 4, a lower electrode and an upper electrode sandwiching the lead-free piezoelectric thin film. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The piezoelectric ceramic sputtering target of claim 2, wherein Mn (manganese) and/or Cu (copper) are/is further contained as subcomponent, and the subcomponent is contained in an amount of 1mass % or less when Mn and Cu are calculated in terms of MnO and CuO respectively. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) A lead-free piezoelectric thin film deposited by using the piezoelectric ceramic sputtering target of claim 2. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) A lead-free piezoelectric thin film deposited by using the piezoelectric ceramic sputtering target of claim 3. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) A lead-free piezoelectric thin film deposited by using the piezoelectric ceramic sputtering target of claim 6. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) A piezoelectric thin film element comprising the lead-free piezoelectric thin film of claim 7, a lower electrode and an upper electrode sandwiching the lead-free piezoelectric thin film. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A piezoelectric thin film element comprising the lead-free piezoelectric thin film of claim 8, a lower electrode and an upper electrode sandwiching the lead-free piezoelectric thin film. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) A piezoelectric thin film element comprising the lead-free piezoelectric thin film of claim 9, a lower electrode and an upper electrode sandwiching the lead-free piezoelectric thin film.