PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCER ELEMENT, ITS WORKING METHOD, AND ACTUATOR USING IT

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a piezoelectric transducer element the joint surface of which is prevented from being peeled off from another member even when the element is driven at a high speed for a long time by improving the adhesive strength between the element and member, and to provide a method of working the joint surface and an actuator using the element. SOLUTION: A sheet-like piezoelectric element 11 is formed by using a piezoelectric ceramic-based piezoelectric material and first and second electrodes 12 and 13 composed of platinum-based electrode materials are respectively formed on the front and rear surfaces of the element 11. Then the material 11 is folded double at a folding section 14 and the folded element 11 is wound into a columnar shape by laminating the folded half bodies of the element 11 upon another. Then the columnar body is dipped in an etchant which dissolves the PZT used for forming the element 11, but does not dissolve platinum. Since only the PZT exposed on the dipped end section of the piezoelectric transducer element which becomes the joint surface is etched, an uneven surface on which the first and second electrodes 12 and 13 are protruded from the portion of the piezoelectric element 11 is formed in the end section, and the adhesive strength between the transducer element and another member can be improved.