Encapsulated ceramic element and method of making the same

A method of making a plurality of separate PZT elements including a core of ceramic material with one or more exterior side surfaces with a layer of encapsulation material and exterior top and bottom surfaces with a layer of metallization covering an edge of the layer of encapsulation material comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a wafer of PZT ceramic material;
• b) making a plurality of first spaced-apart cuts through the wafer of PZT ceramic material to form a wafer of PZT ceramic material including a base and a plurality of first spaced-apart walls extending away from the base and defining a plurality of first spaced-apart recesses;
• c) filling the plurality of recesses with an encapsulation material to define a wafer of PZT ceramic material with a plurality of first spaced-apart layers of encapsulation material;
• d) curing the encapsulation material and grinding away at least the base of the wafer of PZT ceramic material following the step of filling the plurality of recesses with an encapsulation material;
• e) applying a layer of metallization to opposed top and bottom surfaces of the wafer of PZT ceramic material and an edge of the layers of encapsulation material following the step of curing the encapsulation material and grinding away at least the base of the wafer of PZT ceramic material;
• and
• f) making a cut in the wafer of PZT ceramic material through the layer of metallization and selected ones of the plurality of layers of encapsulation material to divide the wafer of PZT ceramic material into the plurality of separate PZT elements including the core of ceramic material with the exterior top and bottom surfaces with the layer of metallization covering the edge of the layer of encapsulation material on the one or more exterior side surfaces of the core of ceramic material.