IP Library Patent Application 13960460
Patent Application
App. No. 13/960,460

PIEZOELECTRIC ELEMENT, PIEZOELECTRIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PIEZOELECTRIC ELEMENT

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Patent No.
US None
App. No.
13/960,460
Abstract

A piezoelectric element includes a substrate, and a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric film represented by a general formula of (Na x K y Li z )NbO 3 (0<x≦1, 0<y≦1, 0≦x≦0.2, x+y+z=1) and an upper electrode layer formed on the substrate. The piezoelectric film has a crystal structure of pseudo-cubic crystal, tetragonal crystal, orthorhombic crystal, monoclinic crystal or rhombohedral crystal, or has a state that at least two of the crystal structures coexist. A difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of an energy of Na-K absorption edge measured by an electron energy loss spectroscopy or an X-ray-absorption fine-structure spectroscopy in a direction of the film thickness of the piezoelectric film is not more than 0.8 eV.

Claims (29)

1 . A piezoelectric element, comprising:

a substrate; and

a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric film represented by a general formula of (Na x K y Li z )NbO 3 (0<x≦1, 0<y≦1, 0≦z≦0.2, x+ y +z=1) and an upper electrode layer formed on the substrate,

wherein the piezoelectric film has a crystal structure of pseudo-cubic crystal, tetragonal crystal, orthorhombic crystal, monoclinic crystal or rhombohedral crystal, or has a state that at least two of the crystal structures coexist, and

wherein a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of an energy of Na—K absorption edge measured by an electron energy loss spectroscopy or an X-ray-absorption fine-structure spectroscopy in a direction of the film thickness of the piezoelectric film is not more than 0.8 eV.

2 . The piezoelectric element according to claim 1 , wherein a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of an energy of K-L 2 absorption edge or/and an energy of K-L 3 absorption edge measured by an electron energy loss spectroscopy or an X-ray-absorption fine-structure spectroscopy in the film thickness direction of the piezoelectric film is not more than 0.8 eV.

3 . The piezoelectric element, comprising:

a substrate; and

a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric film and an upper electrode layer successively formed on the substrate,

wherein the piezoelectric film has a composition of crystal or amorphous represented by a general formula of ABO 3 , or the mixture of the crystal and the amorphous in at least a part thereof, where A represents at least one element of Li, Na, K, Pb, La, Sr, Nd, Ba and Bi, B represents at least one element of Zr, Ti, Mn, Mg, Nb, Sn, Sb, Ta and In, and O represents oxygen, and

wherein a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of an energy of the A atom absorption edge or/and an energy of the B atom absorption edge measured by an electron energy loss spectroscopy or an X-ray-absorption fine-structure spectroscopy in the film thickness direction of the piezoelectric film is not more than 0.8 eV.

4 . The piezoelectric element according to claim 1 , wherein the lower electrode layer comprises an electrode layer that is formed of a single layer or a multilayer structure, and is preferentially oriented in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate in the crystal orientation.

5 . The piezoelectric element according to claim 1 , wherein the lower electrode layer comprise an electrode layer comprising Pt or an alloy containing Pt as a main component, or an electrode layer having a multilayer structure including a layer comprising Pt as a main component.

6 . The piezoelectric element according to claim 1 , wherein the lower electrode layer comprises an electrode layer comprising at least one element of Ru, Ir, Sn and In or the oxide of the elements.

7 . The piezoelectric element according to claim 1 , wherein the upper electrode layer comprises an electrode layer comprising Pt or an alloy containing Pt as a main component, or an electrode layer having a multilayer structure including a layer comprising Pt as a main component.

8 . The piezoelectric element according to claim 1 , wherein the upper electrode layer comprises an electrode layer comprising at least one element of Ru, Ir, Sn and In or the oxide of the elements.

9 . The piezoelectric element according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises Si, MgO, ZnO, SrTiO 3 , SrRuO 3 , glass, quartz glass, GaAs, GaN, sapphire, Ge or stainless steel.

10 . A piezoelectric device, comprising:

the piezoelectric element according to claim 1 ; and

a voltage applying device or a voltage detecting device connected between the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer of the piezoelectric element.

11 . A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric element, wherein the piezoelectric element comprises a substrate and a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric film represented by a general formula of (Na x K y Li z )NbO 3 (0<x≦1, 0<y≦1, 0≦z≦0.2, x+y+z=1) and an upper electrode layer formed on the substrate, comprising:

forming the piezoelectric film having a crystal structure of pseudo-cubic crystal, tetragonal crystal, orthorhombic crystal, monoclinic crystal or rhombohedral crystal, or having a state that at least two of the crystal structures coexist;

after the formation of the piezoelectric film, carrying out a heat treatment of the piezoelectric film in a vacuum, in an inert gas atmosphere, in O 2 , in an O 2 and inert gas mixed gas, or in the air; and

controlling a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of an energy of Na—K absorption edge measured by an electron energy loss spectroscopy or an X-ray-absorption fine-structure spectroscopy in the film thickness direction of the piezoelectric film to be not more than 0.8 eV.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of an energy of K-L 2 absorption edge or/and an energy of K-L 3 absorption edge measured by an electron energy loss spectroscopy or an X-ray-absorption fine-structure spectroscopy in the film thickness direction of the piezoelectric film is controlled to be not more than 0.8 eV.

13 . A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric element, wherein the piezoelectric element comprises a substrate and a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric film and an upper electrode layer formed on the substrate, comprising:

forming the piezoelectric film having a composition of crystal or amorphous represented by a general formula of ABO 3 , or the mixture of the crystal and the amorphous in at least a part thereof, where A represents at least one element of Li, Na, K, Pb, La, Sr, Nd, Ba and Bi, B represents at least one element of Zr, Ti, Mn, Mg, Nb, Sn, Sb, Ta and In, and O represents oxygen;

after the formation of the piezoelectric film, carrying out a heat treatment of the piezoelectric film in a vacuum, in an inert gas atmosphere, in O 2 , in an O 2 and inert gas mixed gas, or in the air; and

controlling a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of an energy of the A atom absorption edge or/and an energy of the B atom absorption edge measured by an electron energy-loss spectroscopy or an X-ray-absorption fine-structure spectroscopy in the film thickness direction of the piezoelectric film to be not more than 0.8 eV.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2016
From: SCIOCS COMPANY LIMITED
To: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
Reel/Frame 037695/0254 →
CORPORATE SEPARATION Recorded Jul 27, 2015
From: HITACHI METALS LTD.
To: SCIOCS COMPANY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036192/0095 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2013
From: SUENAGA, KAZUFUMI; SHIBATA, KENJI; WATANABE, KAZUTOSHI; NOMOTO, AKIRA; HORIKIRI, FUMIMASA
To: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 030952/0837 →