Method for fabricating piezoelectric/electrostrictive device
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device comprising a ceramic thin deformable portion that extends from a ceramic thick base portion and wich is deformed by a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element that is tightly fixed to at least said thin deformable portion to thereby change an angle of a ceramic reflective portion that extends beyond said thin deformable portion, said method comprising the steps of:
- laminating a first ceramic green sheet on a second ceramic green sheet having a substantially rectangular through-hole at a central portion thereof, such that said first ceramic green sheet covers said through-hole in said second ceramic green sheet;
firing said laminated ceramic green sheets to thereby form a unitary ceramic body having a thick portion and a thin portion;
forming a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element on at least said thin portion;
performing a first cutting step to remove a part of said thick portion of said unitary ceramic body such that said unitary ceramic body comprises said thin portion and a residual thick portion having a cut surface and also having a predetermined thickness as measured from an end of said thin portion after said firing step, and after or before said step of forming said piezoelectric/electrostrictive element, said residual thick portion further comprising a reflective portion having said predetermined thickness and an opposed thick base portion having said predetermined thickness and being spaced a distance from said reflective portion by said thin portion;
forming a light-reflecting member on at least a portion of said reflective portion; and
performing a second cutting step to cut said residual thick portion along a plane perpendicularly intersecting with said cut surface;
wherein said step of forming said light-reflecting member is performed before said second cutting step.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device is provided including a functional element. The functional element includes a base portion, a deformable portion assuming the form of a thin plate and extending from the base portion to thereby form a plane, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element formed on the deformable portion, and a reflective portion extending from the deformable portion so as to form an active plane intersecting with the plane of the deformable portion and having a light-reflecting member disposed on the active plane. Operation of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element causes the deformable portion to be deformed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the deformable portion to thereby change a reflection angle of light reflected from the reflective portion.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device comprising a ceramic thin deformable portion that extends from a ceramic thick base portion and wich is deformed by a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element that is tightly fixed to at least said thin deformable portion to thereby change an angle of a ceramic reflective portion that extends beyond said thin deformable portion, said method comprising the steps of:
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laminating a first ceramic green sheet on a second ceramic green sheet having a substantially rectangular through-hole at a central portion thereof, such that said first ceramic green sheet covers said through-hole in said second ceramic green sheet;
firing said laminated ceramic green sheets to thereby form a unitary ceramic body having a thick portion and a thin portion;
forming a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element on at least said thin portion;
performing a first cutting step to remove a part of said thick portion of said unitary ceramic body such that said unitary ceramic body comprises said thin portion and a residual thick portion having a cut surface and also having a predetermined thickness as measured from an end of said thin portion after said firing step, and after or before said step of forming said piezoelectric/electrostrictive element, said residual thick portion further comprising a reflective portion having said predetermined thickness and an opposed thick base portion having said predetermined thickness and being spaced a distance from said reflective portion by said thin portion;
forming a light-reflecting member on at least a portion of said reflective portion; and
performing a second cutting step to cut said residual thick portion along a plane perpendicularly intersecting with said cut surface;
wherein said step of forming said light-reflecting member is performed before said second cutting step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of fabricating a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device comprising a ceramic thin deformable portion that extends from a ceramic thick base portion and which is deformed by a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element that is tightly fixed to at least said thin deformable portion to thereby change an angle of a ceramic reflective portion that extends beyond said thin deformable portion, said method comprising the steps of:
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laminating a first ceramic green sheet on a second ceramic green sheet having a substantially rectangular through-hole at a central portion thereof such that said first ceramic green sheet covers said through-hole in said second ceramic green sheet;
firing said laminated ceramic green sheets to thereby form a unitary ceramic body having a thick portion and a thin portion;
forming a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element on at least said thin portion;
performing a first cutting step to remove a part of said thick portion of said unitary ceramic body such that said unitary ceramic body comprises said thin portion and a residual thick portion having a cut surface and also having a predetermined thickness as measured from an end of said thin portion after said firing step, and after or before said step of forming said piezoelectric/electrostrictive element, said residual thick portion further comprising a reflective portion having said predetermined thickness and an opposed thick base portion having said predetermined thickness and being spaced a distance from said reflective portion by said thin portion;
repeating the above steps to provide a plurality of said unitary ceramic bodies;
bonding said plurality of unitary ceramic bodies at parts of said residual thick portions thereof corresponding to said thick base portions and interposing spacers therebetween to form a bonded plurality of unitary ceramic bodies;
forming a light-reflecting member on said reflective portions of said bonded plurality of unitary ceramic bodies; and
performing a second cutting step to cut said residual thick portions along a plane perpendicularly intersecting with said cut surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification