Patent ID: 7413290

Claim:
A piezoelectric element, at least comprising a piezoelectric layer, a first higher-potential electrode layer formed in contact with the piezoelectric layer on one face of the piezoelectric layer, and a second lower-potential electrode layer formed in contact with the piezoelectric layer on the face of the piezoelectric layer opposite to the first electrode layer, wherein the first electrode layer contains a metal A having a standard electrode potential of higher than 0 V and a metal B having a standard electrode potential higher than that of the metal A in which the metal A is present in the largest amount by weight of the total amount of the metal elements contained in the first electrode layer and in which the mental B is an amount of 0.5 to 35% by weight with respect to the total amount of the metal elements contained in the first electrode layer, and the second electrode layer contains a metal C having a standard electrode potential lower than that of the metal A in which the metal C is present in the largest amount by weight of the total amount of the metal elements contained in the second electrode layer of the piezoelectric element.