Seiko Epson Corporation

Seik Epson Corporation

Masato Shimada

Tsutomu Nishiwaki

Tetsushi Takahashi

Yoshinao Miyata

Hiroyuki Kamei

Akira Matsuzawa

Kazumasa Hasegawa

Kouji Sumi

Hong Qiu

Masami Murai

Shinri Sakai

Koichi Morozumi

Tsutomu Hashizume

Ichiro Asaoka

Akira Kuriki

Minoru Usui

Koji Sumi

Shiro Yazaki

Xin-shan Li

Souichi Moriya

Masayuki Sawada

Motoki Takabe

Tomoaki Takahashi

Yuma Fukuzawa

Shunya Fukuda

Takahiro Kamijo

Kazushige Umetsu

Makoto Matsuzaki

Daisuke Sawaki

Soichi Moriya

Mutsuhiko Ota

Takeshi Saito

Hironobu Kazama

Yutaka Furuhata

Takeshi Yasoshima

Masanori Okuyama

Yuka Yonekura

Akihito Tsuda

Kazuhiko Fujimori

Masataka Yamada

Zhi Quiang Wei

An electronic device includes a capacitor that is configured with a first electrode layer, an insulating layer, and a second electrode layer being formed in the order listed herein. At least one end of the capacitor is defined by an end of the second electrode layer. The insulating layer is provided so as to extend to a non-element region that is on the outside of one end of the capacitor. The insulating layer under the non-element region is formed thinner than the insulating layer under the capacitor. A difference between the thickness of the insulating layer under the non-element region and the thickness of the insulating layer under the capacitor is equal to or less than 50 nm.

Electronic device, piezoelectric device, liquid ejecting head, and manufacturing methods for electronic device, piezoelectric device, and liquid ejecting head

A method is provided for manufacturing a piezoelectric device including a piezoelectric element that is disposed above a diaphragm and that has a multilayer structure including a first electrode disposed above the diaphragm, a piezoelectric layer disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the piezoelectric layer. The method includes forming the multilayer structure including the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode above the diaphragm, forming a voltage application electrode extending outwardly from an end of the second electrode to cover a region located above the piezoelectric layer in an inactive section having no second electrode, applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, and removing the voltage application electrode.

Method of manufacturing piezoelectric device

In sputter etching to improve the adhesion between upper electrodes and lead electrodes, the sputter etching of surfaces of the upper electrodes under an Ar gas flow at a flow rate of 60 sccm or more can reduce the residence time of Ar ions on the surfaces of the upper electrodes because of the Ar gas flow. This can prevent the charging of the upper electrodes due to the buildup of ionized Ar gas on the surfaces, reduce the influence of charging on piezoelectric elements, and provide a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator that includes the piezoelectric elements each including a piezoelectric layer having small variations in hysteresis characteristics and deformation characteristics.

Method for manufacturing piezoelectric actuator

A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode which is an individual electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode which is a common electrode. The piezoelectric element is provided with a piezoelectric active section and a piezoelectric nonactive section so as to face the pressure generating chambers. The piezoelectric nonactive section extends to the outside of the pressure generating chambers. On the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric nonactive section, a stress controlling layer is provided which has the same direction of internal stress as internal stress of the second electrode and is electrically insulated from the second electrode.

Liquid ejecting head and liquid ejecting apparatus

A first lead electrode containing nickel and chromium contacts a second upper electrode containing titanium. Here, since a difference between the normal electrode potential of nickel and chromium and the normal electrode potential of titanium is smaller than a difference between the normal electrode potential of nickel and chromium and the normal electrode potential of iridium, electric corrosion can be made difficult to occur as compared with the case where the first lead electrode containing nickel and chromium contacts a first upper electrode containing iridium. Therefore, a piezoelectric element can be obtained in which an increase in resistance due to the narrowing of the contact area between an upper electrode and a lead electrode for upper electrode or the separation of the lead electrode for upper electrode can be suppressed and which can be driven by a given voltage.

Piezoelectric element, liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting apparatus, and method for manufacturing piezoelectric element

A piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode film disposed on a substrate, a piezoelectric layerdisposed on the lower electrode film, a upper electrode filmdisposed on the piezoelectric layer, wherein the piezoelectric layeris formed of a plurality of columnar grains, and the upper electrode filmconforms to the surface shape of each of the grainsof the piezoelectric layer

Piezoelectric element, actuator device, liquid ejecting head, and liquid ejecting apparatus

A piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode film disposed on a substrate, a piezoelectric layerdisposed on the lower electrode film, a upper electrode filmdisposed on the piezoelectric layerwherein the piezoelectric layeris formed of a plurality of columnar grains, and the upper electrode filmconforms to the surface shape of each of the grainsof the piezoelectric layer

A liquid ejecting head includes a flow channel forming substrate in which pressure generating chambers in communication with nozzles are formed; a piezoelectric element made up of a first electrode formed over the flow channel forming substrate, a piezoelectric layer formed over the first electrode and a second electrode formed over the piezoelectric layer; and a coating film provided by coating the piezoelectric element, wherein a hollow section formed by removing the coating film and a part of the second electrode is provided at an area opposite to the piezoelectric element, and an inclination angle &#x3b8;1 of an end face of the coating film defining the hollow section with respect to the flow channel forming substrate and an inclination angle &#x3b8;2 of an end face of the second electrode defining the hollow section satisfy a relationship of &#x3b8;2&#x3c;&#x3b8;1.

Liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting apparatus, and actuator

A liquid ejecting head includes a flow passage forming substrate that includes a plurality of pressure generating chambers juxtaposed to each other and each in communication with a nozzle for ejecting droplets, and piezoelectric elements disposed on the flow passage forming substrate with a diaphragm interposed therebetween. The piezoelectric elements include a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode. The piezoelectric layer tapers downward at its ends. The lower electrode has a width smaller than the width of each of the pressure generating chambers. The piezoelectric layer has a larger width than the lower electrode to cover end faces of the lower electrode. The diaphragm has a top layer formed of a titanium oxide (TiO) insulator film. The lower electrode has a top layer formed of a lanthanum nickel oxide (LaNiO) orientation control layer. The orientation control layer and at least part of the piezoelectric layer disposed on the orientation control layer are formed of perovskite crystals having a (111) preferred orientation.

A liquid ejecting head includes a flow passage forming substrate that includes a plurality of pressure generating chambers juxtaposed to each other and each in communication with a nozzle for ejecting droplets, and piezoelectric elements disposed on the flow passage forming substrate with a diaphragm interposed therebetween. The piezoelectric elements include a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode. The piezoelectric layer tapers downward at its ends. The lower electrode has a width smaller than the width of each of the pressure generating chambers. The piezoelectric layer has a larger width than the lower electrode to cover end faces of the lower electrode. The diaphragm has a top layer formed of a titanium oxide (TiO) insulator film. The lower electrode has a top layer formed of a lanthanum nickel oxide (LaNiO) orientation control layer. The orientation control layer and at least part of the piezoelectric layer disposed on the orientation control layer are formed of perovskite crystals having a (113) preferred orientation.

A liquid ejecting head includes a flow passage forming substrate that includes a plurality of pressure generating chambers juxtaposed to each other and each in communication with a nozzle for ejecting droplets, and piezoelectric elements disposed on the flow passage forming substrate with a diaphragm interposed therebetween. The piezoelectric elements include a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode. The piezoelectric layer tapers downward at its ends. The lower electrode has a width smaller than the width of each of the pressure generating chambers. The piezoelectric layer has a larger width than the lower electrode to cover end faces of the lower electrode. The diaphragm has a top layer formed of a titanium oxide (TiO) insulator film. The lower electrode has a top layer formed of a lanthanum nickel oxide (LaNiO) orientation control layer. The orientation control layer and at least part of the piezoelectric layer disposed on the orientation control layer are formed of perovskite crystals having a (001) preferred orientation.

A liquid ejecting head includes a flow passage forming substrate that includes a plurality of pressure generating chambers juxtaposed to each other and each in communication with a nozzle for ejecting droplets, and piezoelectric elements disposed on the flow passage forming substrate with a diaphragm interposed therebetween. The piezoelectric elements include a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode. The piezoelectric layer tapers downward at its ends. The lower electrode has a width smaller than the width of each of the pressure generating chambers. The piezoelectric layer has a larger width than the lower electrode. The diaphragm has a top layer formed of a titanium oxide (TiO) insulator film. The lower electrode has a top layer formed of a lanthanum nickel oxide (LaNiO) orientation control layer. The piezoelectric layer is formed of columnar crystals, and one part of the piezoelectric layer disposed on the insulator film has a smaller average grain size than the other part of the piezoelectric layer disposed on the orientation control layer.

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Chino, Japan

Masato Shimada