Piezoelectric/electrostrictive element

A piezoelectric/electrostrictive element comprising:

• a ceramic substrate having a material whose main component is zirconium oxide;
• at least one film-type piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating portion comprising a first electrode film, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film, and a second electrode film on the ceramic substrate;
• and
• a supporting member having at least one opening, said supporting member being connected to the ceramic substrate so as to close one side of the opening with the ceramic substrate;
• wherein the ceramic substrate comprises a base layer and a surface layer, and the crystal phase of the zirconium oxide of the base layer is a tetragonal phase or a mixed phase of tetragonal and cubic phase, tetragonal and monoclinic phase, or tetragonal, cubic, and monoclinic phase, and the zirconium oxide in the base layer is stabilized with 2 to 4 mol % of yttrium oxide, and the crystal grain size of the zirconium oxide in the base layer is within a range of 0.1 and 1.5 μm, and the crystal phase of the zirconium oxide of the surface layer is mainly cubic phase, and the piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating portion is formed on the surface layer.