Patent ID: 7414353

Claim:
A piezoelectric actuator, comprising: a piezoelectric ceramic member having a first end and a second end; a plurality of first electrodes embedded in said piezoelectric ceramic member in such a manner as to extend to said first end; a plurality of second electrode embedded in said piezoelectric ceramic member altemately with said first electrodes in such a manner as to extend to said second ends; a first end portion electrode formed at said first end for connecting said plurality of first electrodes; and a second end portion electrode formed at said second end for connecting said plurality of second electrodes; side faces of said first and second electrodes at a portion at which said first and second electrodes overlap with each other being retracted from a side face of said piezoelectric ceramic member or covered with said piezoelectric ceramic member, wherein each of said first and second electrodes is made of a blended material of Pt and PbNi 1/3 Nb 2/3 O 3 —PbTiO 3 PbZrO 3 ceramic, and the PbNi 1/3 Nb 2/3 O 3 —PbTiO 3 PbZrO 3 ceramic is mixed by 10 to 30 volume %.