Patent ID: 7417361

Claim:
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive body comprising: a large number of crystal grains having piezoelectric/electrostrictive properties, the crystal grains being arranged in at least one layer having a thickness direction and a width direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, wherein a thickness of the body as measured along the thickness direction of the layer is in a range of 1 to 20 μm, wherein a part of each crystal grain is exposed to at least one interface between the piezoelectric/electrostrictive body and the outside in the thickness direction in a portion of the large number of crystal grains, wherein a number ratio of the portion to the large number of crystal grains is 80% or more as observed in an arbitrary section in the thickness direction, and wherein an average value of a ratio (W/T) of a width (W) of the crystal grain measured along the width direction to the thickness (T) of the crystal grain measured the thickness direction is 1.3 or more, as observed in the arbitrary section in the thickness direction.