Piezoelectric/electrostrictive device

A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device comprising a driving portion to be driven by displacement of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element, a movable portion to be operated by driving said driving portion, and a fixing portion for holding said driving portion and said movable portion, said fixing portion and said movable portion being coupled via said driving portion along a length direction of said device, and a hole formed by inner walls of the driving portion, an inner wall of the movable portion, and an inner wall of the fixing portion;

• said piezoelectric/electrostrictive device being characterized in that said driving portion is composed of a mutually opposed pair of thin plate portions and at least first and second piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements each comprising one or more pairs of electrodes and a ceramic piezoelectric/electrostrictive film;
• wherein one end of said first piezoelectric/electrostrictive element and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating portion thereof at said end are positioned on the fixing portion and extend in said length direction to a least a part of a first one of the thin plate portions such that an opposite end of said piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating portion of said first piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is positioned on said first thin plate portion;
• wherein one end of said second piezoelectric/electrostrictive element and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating portion thereof at said end are positioned on the movable portion and extend in said length direction to at least a part of the second one of said thin plate portions such that an opposite end of said piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating portion of said second piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is positioned on said second thin plate portion;
• and
• wherein said hole has a central axis that extends in an axial direction substantially parallel to said thin plate portions and substantially perpendicular to said length direction, and said device is free of any other holes extending in any direction other than said axial direction.