Patent ID: 7530676
Filing Date: 2009-05-12
Classification: B41J,G01C,H01L

Abstract:
1. A piezoelectric element comprising a first electrode film, a layered piezoelectric film including a first thin piezoelectric film provided on the first electrode film and a second thin piezoelectric film provided on the first thin piezoelectric film and a second electrode film provided on the layered piezoelectric film, wherein the layered piezoelectric film is made of rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide having preferred orientation along the (111) plane, the first and second thin piezoelectric films are aggregates of columnar grains, respectively, which are continuously linked to each other, the columnar grains of the second thin piezoelectric film have a larger average cross-sectional diameter than the columnar grains of the first thin piezoelectric film and the ratio of the thickness of the layered piezoelectric film to the average cross-sectional diameter of the columnar grains of the second thin piezoelectric film is 20 to 60 inclusive.