Piezoelectric element, ink jet head, angular velocity sensor, method for manufacturing the same, and ink jet recording apparatus

Abstract

A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode layer 14 provided on a substrate 11 and made of a noble metal to which at least one additive selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al and oxides thereof is added, an orientation control layer 15 provided on the first electrode layer 14 and made of a cubic or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane, and a piezoelectric layer 16 provided on the orientation control layer 15 and made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.

1 . A piezoelectric element, comprising: a first electrode layer; a piezoelectric layer provided on the first electrode layer; and a second electrode layer provided on the piezoelectric layer, wherein: 
 the first electrode layer is made of a noble metal to which at least one additive selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al and oxides thereof is added; and    the piezoelectric layer is made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.    
     
     
         2 - 6 . (canceled)  
     
     
         7 . The piezoelectric element of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer is made of at least one noble metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium, palladium and ruthenium.  
     
     
         8 . The piezoelectric element of  claim 1 , wherein an amount of additive to be added to the first electrode layer is greater than zero and less than or equal to 20 mol %.  
     
     
         9 . The piezoelectric element of  claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric layer is made of a piezoelectric material whose main component is lead zirconate titanate.  
     
     
         10 . The piezoelectric element of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the first electrode layer is provided on a substrate; and    an adhesive layer for improving adhesion between the substrate and the first electrode layer is provided between the substrate and the first electrode layer.    
     
     
         11 . An ink jet head, comprising: a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order; a vibration layer provided on one surface of the piezoelectric element that is closer to the second electrode layer; and a pressure chamber member bonded to one surface of the vibration layer that is away from the piezoelectric element and including a pressure chamber for storing ink therein, in which the vibration layer is displaced in a thickness direction by a piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element so as to discharge the ink out of the pressure chamber, wherein: 
 the first electrode layer of the piezoelectric element is made of a noble metal to which at least one additive selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al and oxides thereof is added; and    the piezoelectric layer is made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.    
     
     
         12 . (canceled)  
     
     
         13 . An ink jet head, comprising: a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order; a vibration layer provided on one surface of the piezoelectric element that is closer to the first electrode layer; and a pressure chamber member bonded to one surface of the vibration layer that is away from the piezoelectric element and including a pressure chamber for storing ink therein, in which the vibration layer is displaced in a thickness direction by a piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element so as to discharge the ink out of the pressure chamber, wherein: 
 the first electrode layer of the piezoelectric element is made of a noble metal to which at least one additive selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al and oxides thereof is added; and    the piezoelectric layer is made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.    
     
     
         14 . (canceled)  
     
     
         15 . An angular velocity sensor, comprising a substrate including a fixed portion and at least a pair of vibrating portions extending from the fixed portion in a predetermined direction, in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order at least on each of the vibrating portions of the substrate, and the second electrode layer on each of the vibrating portions is patterned into at least one driving electrode for vibrating the vibrating portion in a width direction thereof and at least one detection electrode for detecting a displacement of the vibrating portion in a thickness direction thereof, wherein: 
 the first electrode layer is made of a noble metal to which at least one additive selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al and oxides thereof is added; and    the piezoelectric layer is made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.    
     
     
         16 - 24 . (canceled)  
     
     
         25 . An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising an ink jet head, the ink jet head including: a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order; a vibration layer provided on one surface of the piezoelectric element that is closer to the second electrode layer; and a pressure chamber member bonded to one surface of the vibration layer that is away from the piezoelectric element and including a pressure chamber for storing ink therein, the ink jet head being capable of being relatively moved with respect to a recording medium, in which while the ink jet head is moved with respect to the recording medium, the vibration layer is displaced in a thickness direction by a piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element in the ink jet head so as to discharge the ink out of the pressure chamber through a nozzle hole communicated to the pressure chamber onto the recording medium, thereby recording information, wherein: 
 the first electrode layer of the piezoelectric element in the ink jet head is made of a noble metal to which at least one additive selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al and oxides thereof is added; and    the piezoelectric layer is made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.    
     
     
         26 . (canceled)  
     
     
         27 . An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising an ink jet head, the ink jet head including: a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order; a vibration layer provided on one surface of the piezoelectric element that is closer to the first electrode layer; and a pressure chamber member bonded to one surface of the vibration layer that is away from the piezoelectric element and including a pressure chamber for storing ink therein, the ink jet head being capable of being relatively moved with respect to a recording medium, in which while the ink jet head is moved with respect to the recording medium, the vibration layer is displaced in a thickness direction by a piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element in the ink jet head so as to discharge the ink out of the pressure chamber through a nozzle hole communicated to the pressure chamber onto the recording medium, thereby recording information, wherein: 
 the first electrode layer of the piezoelectric element in the ink jet head is made of a noble metal to which at least one additive selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al and oxides thereof is added; and    the piezoelectric layer is made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.    
     
     
         28 . (canceled)  
     
     
         29 . The piezoelectric element of  claim 1 , wherein the additive exists on a surface of the first electrode layer that is closer to the piezoelectric layer.  
     
     
         30 . The piezoelectric element of  claim 1 , wherein the additive exists in a dotted pattern on a surface of the first electrode layer that is closer to the piezoelectric layer.  
     
     
         31 . The piezoelectric element of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer is formed on the substrate.