Patent ID: 7137179

Claim:
A method of forming a piezoelectric layer in forming a piezoelectric element including a lower electrode placed on one surface of a substrate, the piezoelectric layer placed on the lower electrode and made of a plurality of ferroelectric films, and an upper electrode placed on the piezoelectric layer, the method comprising: a drying step for forming at least one ferroelectric precursor film on the lower electrode of the substrate and drying the ferroelectric precursor film; a degreasing step for carrying the substrate into a region facing a hot plate heated to a certain temperature and for degreasing the ferroelectric precursor film in a state where the substrate is supported by a proximity pin; and a baking step for further baking the degreased ferroelectric precursor film to form the degreased ferroelectric precursor film into the ferroelectric film, wherein the piezoelectric layer is formed by repeating the drying, degreasing, and baking steps for the ferroelectric precursor film in a predetermined number of cycles, and the degreasing step includes a step of adjusting a heating temperature of the ferroelectric precursor film by adjusting a distance between the hot plate and the substrate and by lowering a temperature of space on an opposite side of the substrate from the hot plate.