Patent ID: 8399059

Claim:
A method of making a plurality of separate PZT elements including one or more outer surfaces with a layer of metallization covering an edge of an 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) of applying a layer of metallization to and over at least one of the surfaces of the wafer of PZT ceramic material and an edge of the layers of encapsulation material following the steps 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 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 one or more outer surfaces with the layer of metallization covering the edge of the encapsulation material.