1. A multilayer ceramic capacitor comprising:
a ceramic main body including:
a first outer layer portion including first ceramic layers;
a second outer layer portion including second ceramic layers;
an inner layer portion including third ceramic layers and inner electrodes arranged at a plurality of interfaces between at least some of the third ceramic layers; and
outer electrodes arranged on surfaces of the ceramic main body and electrically connected to the inner electrodes; wherein
the first outer layer portion and the second outer layer portion are arranged vertically so as to sandwich the inner layer portion therebetween;
the third ceramic layers contain a perovskite-type compound represented by ABO3, where A contains one or more of Ba, Sr, and Ca; B contains one or more of Ti, Zr, and Hf; and O represents oxygen, and a rare-earth element;
an outermost layer portion of at least one of the first and the second outer layer portions including at least a portion of a surface of the ceramic main body contains a perovskite-type compound represented by A\u2032B\u2032O3, where A\u2032 contains one or more of Ba, Sr, and Ca; B\u2032 contains one or more of Ti, Zr, and Hf; and O represents oxygen, and optionally a rare-earth element that is the same or different as the rare-earth element of the third ceramic layers;
a mol concentration (CR) of the rare-earth element in the third ceramic layers is greater than a mol concentration (Cr) of the rare-earth element in the outermost layer portion, CR>Cr, inclusive of Cr=0; and
the inner electrodes include Ni or an alloy of Ni.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A piezoelectric actuator device comprising a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein;
said first circuit comprises a piezoelectric actuator element and a first resistor circuit, said piezoelectric actuator element and said first resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said second circuit comprises a capacitor circuit and a second resistor circuit, said capacitor circuit and said second resistor circuit being connected in parallel; and
said first circuit and said second circuit are connected in series to form a series circuit, both ends of that series circuit being led to a pair of input terminals, wherein said piezoelectric actuator element comprises a mechanical output device configured to drive a component.
2. A piezoelectric actuator device comprising a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein:
said first circuit comprises a piezoelectric actuator element and a first resistor circuit, said piezoelectric actuator element and said first resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said second circuit comprises a capacitor circuit and a second resistor circuit, said capacitor circuit and said second resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said first circuit and said second circuit are connected in series to form a series circuit, both ends of that series circuit being led to a pair of input terminals; and
when the capacitance of said piezoelectric actuator element is represented by Ca, the resistance of said first resistor circuit is represented by R1, the capacitance of said capacitor circuit is represented by C1, and the resistance of said second resistor circuit is represented by R2,
said piezoelectric actuator device satisfies the following conditional expression:
Ca\xb7R1<C1\xb7R2.
3. The piezoelectric actuator device according to claim 1, wherein;
said piezoelectric actuator device further comprises a rectifying circuit; and
said rectifying circuit is connected in parallel to said piezoelectric actuator element and is oriented in the opposite direction with respect to the polarity of the voltage to be applied to said piezoelectric actuator element.
4. The piezoelectric actuator device according to claim 2, wherein;
said piezoelectric actuator device further comprises a rectifying circuit; and
said rectifying circuit is connected in parallel to said piezoelectric actuator element and is oriented in the opposite direction with respect to the polarity of the voltage to be applied to said piezoelectric actuator element.
5. A piezoelectric actuator circuit comprising a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein;
said first circuit comprises a piezoelectric actuator element and a first resistor circuit, said piezoelectric actuator element and said first resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said second circuit comprises a capacitor circuit and a second resistor circuit, said capacitor circuit and said second resistor circuit being connected in parallel; and
said first circuit and said second circuit are connected in series to form a series circuit, both ends of that series circuit being led to a pair of input terminals, wherein said piezoelectric actuator element comprises a mechanical output device configured to drive a component.
6. A piezoelectric actuator circuit comprising a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein:
said first circuit comprises a piezoelectric actuator element and a first resistor circuit, said piezoelectric actuator element and said first resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said second circuit comprises a capacitor circuit and a second resistor circuit, said capacitor circuit and said second resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said first circuit and said second circuit are connected in series to form a series circuit, both ends of that series circuit being led to a pair of input terminals; and
when the capacitance of said piezoelectric actuator element is represented by Ca, the resistance of said first resistor circuit is represented by R1, the capacitance of said capacitor circuit is represented by C1, and the resistance of said second resistor circuit is represented by R2,
said piezoelectric actuator circuit satisfies the following conditional expression:
Ca\xb7R1<C1\xb7R2.
7. The piezoelectric actuator circuit according to claim 5, wherein;
said piezoelectric actuator circuit further comprises a rectifying circuit; and
said rectifying circuit is connected in parallel to said piezoelectric actuator element and is oriented in the opposite direction with respect to the polarity of the voltage to be applied to said piezoelectric actuator element.
8. The piezoelectric actuator circuit according to claim 6, wherein;
said piezoelectric actuator circuit further comprises a rectifying circuit; and
said rectifying circuit is connected in parallel to said piezoelectric actuator element and is oriented in the opposite direction with respect to the polarity of the voltage to be applied to said piezoelectric actuator element.
9. A piezoelectric actuator device comprising a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein:
said first circuit comprises a piezoelectric actuator element and a first resistor circuit, said piezoelectric actuator element and said first resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said second circuit comprises a capacitor circuit and a second resistor circuit, said capacitor circuit and said second resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said first circuit and said second circuit are connected in series to form a series circuit, both ends of that series circuit being led to a pair of input terminals; and
the impedance of the first circuit and the impedance of the second circuit satisfies the expression:
|Z1|>|Z2|.
10. A piezoelectric actuator circuit comprising a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein:
said first circuit comprises a piezoelectric actuator element and a first resistor circuit, said piezoelectric actuator element and said first resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said second circuit comprises a capacitor circuit and a second resistor circuit, said capacitor circuit and said second resistor circuit being connected in parallel; and
said first circuit and said second circuit are connected in series to form a series circuit, both ends of that series circuit being led to a pair of input terminals; and
the impedance of the first circuit and the impedance of the second circuit satisfies the expression:
|Z1|>|Z2|.
11. A piezoelectric actuator device comprising a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein;
said first circuit comprises a first resistor circuit and a piezoelectric actuator element for converting an input voltage into an output mechanical displacement, said piezoelectric actuator element and said first resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said second circuit comprises a capacitor circuit and a second resistor circuit, said capacitor circuit and said second resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said first circuit and said second circuit are connected in series to form a series circuit, both ends of that series circuit being led to a pair of input terminals; and
said piezoelectric actuator element comprises a mechanical output device configured to drive a component.
12. A piezoelectric actuator device comprising a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein:
said first circuit comprises a first resistor circuit and a piezoelectric actuator element for converting an input voltage into an output mechanical displacement, said piezoelectric actuator element and said first resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said second circuit comprises a capacitor circuit and a second resistor circuit, said capacitor circuit and said second resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said first circuit and said second circuit are connected in series to form a series circuit, both ends of that series circuit being led to a pair of input terminals; and
when the capacitance of said piezoelectric actuator element is represented by Ca, the resistance of said first resistor circuit is represented by R1, the capacitance of said capacitor circuit is represented by C1, and the resistance of said second resistor circuit is represented by R2,
said piezoelectric actuator device satisfies the following conditional expression:
Ca\xb7R1<C1\xb7R2.
13. A piezoelectric actuator circuit comprising a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein;
said first circuit comprises a first resistor circuit and a piezoelectric actuator element for converting an input voltage into an output mechanical displacement, said piezoelectric actuator element and said first resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said second circuit comprises a capacitor circuit and a second resistor circuit, said capacitor circuit and said second resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said first circuit and said second circuit are connected in series to form a series circuit, both ends of that series circuit being led to a pair of input terminals; and
said piezoelectric actuator element comprises a mechanical output device configured to drive a component.
14. A piezoelectric actuator circuit comprising a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein;
said first circuit comprises a first resistor circuit and a piezoelectric actuator element for converting an input voltage into an output mechanical displacement, said piezoelectric actuator element and said first resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said second circuit comprises a capacitor circuit and a second resistor circuit, said capacitor circuit and said second resistor circuit being connected in parallel;
said first circuit and said second circuit are connected in series to form a series circuit, both ends of that series circuit being led to a pair of input terminals; and
when the capacitance of said piezoelectric actuator element is represented by Ca, the resistance of said first resistor circuit is represented by R1, the capacitance of said capacitor circuit is represented by C1, and the resistance of said second resistor circuit is represented by R2,
said piezoelectric actuator circuit satisfies the following conditional expression:
Ca\xb7R1<C1\xb7R2.