PIEZOELECTRIC ELEMENT, DROPLET DISCHARGE HEAD, DROPLET DISCHARGE DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF PIEZOELECTRIC ELEMENT

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a piezoelectric element that suppresses concentration of stress during the drive, and has high crack resistance.SOLUTION: A piezoelectric element 20 including a piezoelectric film 1 has a lower electrode 3, the piezoelectric film 1, and an upper electrode 2 sequentially laminated on a diaphragm 4. At an end part where the upper electrode 2 and the lower electrode 3 do not overlap with each other in a thickness direction, that is at least a part of the piezoelectric film 1, cavities 11 are formed. By providing cavities 11, stress generated by the deformation of the piezoelectric film 1 is alleviated by the deformation of the cavities 11 to enable prevention of the occurrence of concentration of the stress, and thereby destruction of the piezoelectric film 1 due to cracks can be prevented. Even if the cracks are generated in the piezoelectric film 1, development of the cracks can be prevented.