Piezoelectric element and method of manufacturing the same

A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric element having a multilayered structure, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) fabricating a multilayered structure in which a plurality of piezoelectric material layers and a plurality of internal electrode layers are alternately stacked, said plurality of internal electrode layers including a first group of internal electrode layers and a second group of internal electrode layers;
• (b) forming a mask on at least regions of a first surface of said multilayered structure except for end portions of said first group of internal electrode layers;
• (c) forming first insulating films for covering the end portions of said first group of internal electrode layers at the first surface of said multilayered structure, on which the mask has been formed at step (b), by using an aerosol deposition method;
• (d) removing the mask formed at step (b);
• (e) forming a mask on at least regions of a second surface opposite to the first surface of said multilayered structure except for end portions of said second group of internal electrode layers;
• (f) forming second insulating films for covering the end portions of said second group of internal electrode layers at the second surface of said multilayered structure, on which the mask has been formed at step (e), by using the aerosol deposition method;
• (g) removing the mask formed at step (e);
• (h) forming, after step (d), a first external electrode electrically connected to said second group of internal electrode layers and insulated from said first group of internal electrode layers by said first insulating films at the first surface of said multilayered structure;
• and
• (i) forming, after step (g), a second external electrode electrically connected to said first group of internal electrode layers and insulated from said second group of internal electrode layers by said second insulating films at the second surface of said multilayered structure.