Patent ID: 7332851

Claim:
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive film device comprising: a thin ceramic substrate; and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating portion disposed on the ceramic substrate and comprising a lower electrode film, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film including a large number of crystal particles having a piezoelectric/electrostrictive composition, and an upper electrode film successively laminated on the ceramic substrate; wherein the piezoelectric/electrostrictive composition excludes lead (Pb) and comprises one or more alkali metal elements selected from the group consisting of lithium (Li), potassium (K), and sodium (Na), and at least niobium (Nb) from among one or more metal elements selected from the group consisting of niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), antimony (Sb), and silver (Ag); and wherein at least one of the alkali metal element and the metal element of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive composition is present and unevenly dispersed in the ceramic substrate.