1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid droplet discharge head provided with a piezoelectric actuator for discharging a liquid, a liquid droplet discharge apparatus including the same, and a method for producing the liquid droplet discharge head.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ink discharge head, which is carried on an ink-jet printer for recording an image on a recording medium, is known as an example of the liquid droplet discharge head. In order to obtain a high quality of the image to be recorded, it is required for the ink discharge head to increase the number of nozzles. In order to increase the number of nozzles, it is required to arrange pressure chambers provided corresponding to the respective nozzles at a high density. When the pressure chambers are arranged at a high density, the distance between the adjoining pressure chambers is shortened. Therefore, when the pressure is applied to the ink contained in the predetermined pressure chamber by driving the piezoelectric actuator, the influence, i.e., the so-called crosstalk arises, in which the adjoining pressure chamber is affected thereby. According to an ink discharge head described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-311954, for example, individual electrodes are formed on one of the piezoelectric layers which is separated farthest from pressure chambers, and grooves are formed on the both sides of each of the individual electrodes. Therefore, the deformation of the area disposed between the pressure chambers can be absorbed by the grooves when the active portion is deformed in accordance with the piezoelectric effect.
When the grooves are formed on the both sides of each of the individual electrodes, then the deformation of the active portion is hardly transmitted or propagated to the adjoining pressure chamber as compared with a case in which the grooves are not formed, and it is possible to suppress the crosstalk. However, it is required that the pressure chambers should be also disposed at a higher density on account of the request for a higher quality. It is required to realize a more excellent countermeasure against the crosstalk.