Monolithic prestressed ceramic devices and method for making same

Monolithic, internally asymmetrically stress biased electrically active ceramic devices and a method for making same is disclosed. The first step in the method of the present invention is to fabricate a ceramic element having first and second opposing surfaces. Next, only the first surface is chemically reduced by heat treatment in a reducing atmosphere. This produces a concave shaped, internally asymmetrically stress biased ceramic element and an electrically conducting, chemically reduced layer on the first surface which serves as one of the electrodes of the device. Another electrode can be deposited on the second surface to complete the device. In another embodiment of the present invention two dome shaped ceramic devices can be placed together to form a completed clamshell structure or an accordion type structure. In a further embodiment, the clamshell or accordion type structures can be placed on top of one another. In another embodiment, a pair of dome shaped ceramic devices having opposing temperature characteristics can be placed on top of each other to produce an athermalized ceramic device.