# US 10,864,551 B2 · Compact ultrasound transducer with direct coax attachment

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- Number: US 10,864,551 B2
- Document ID: US10864551B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/528,877
- Filed: 2015-12-14
- Published: 2017-11-16
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-15
- Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Inventors: Wojtek Sudol
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864551B2

## CPC

- B06B 1/0292: {Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type}
- G01N 29/2406: {Electrostatic or capacitive probes, e.g. electret or cMUT-probes}
- H01R 4/023: {between cables or wires and terminals}
- H01R 43/0207: {Ultrasonic-, H.F.-, cold- or impact welding}
- H03H 3/0072: {of microelectro-mechanical resonators or networks (micromembranes or microbeams B81B2203/01; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C)}
- G01N 2291/106: one or more transducer arrays
- B06B: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, {e.g.} FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL (for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B07B1/40, B23Q17/12, B24B31/06; measurement of mechanical vibrations G01H; in direction finding, locating, distance or velocity measuring G01S; {generating seismic energy G01V1/02}; control of mechanical vibrations in general G05D; sound-producing devices, e.g. bells, sirens, whistles G10K, {e.g. methods or devices for transmitting, conducting, or directing sound in general G10K11/00}; generation of electrical oscillations H03B; electromechanical resonators in general H03H; electromechanical transducers {for communication techniques, e.g. microphones, speakers} H04R)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P)

## Abstract

An ultrasound device includes a transducer array (404) formed on a first side of a substrate (402). A through via (406) passes through a thickness of the substrate between the first side and a second side, opposite the first side. A conductor (410) is electrically coupled to the through via on the second side to provide signals to and from the transducer array.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ultrasound device, comprising:
a single substrate comprising a transducer array and microbeamforming circuitry configured to partially beamform signals from the transducer array, the transducer array being on a first side of the single substrate;
a first through via passing through a thickness of the single substrate between the first side and a second side, opposite the first side;
a first conductive bump disposed on the second side of the single substrate and electrically coupled to the first through via;
a second through via passing through the thickness of the single substrate between the first side and the second side;
a second conductive bump disposed on the second side of the single substrate and electrically coupled to the second through via; and
a coaxial cable comprising:
a conductor electrically coupled to the first conductive bump on the second side of the single substrate to provide signals to and from the transducer array; and
a shield disposed around the conductor, wherein the shield is electrically coupled to the second conductive bump on the second side of the single substrate to provide an electrical ground.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the transducer array includes capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (CMUT) elements.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the single substrate is an interposer substrate and the transducer array is a one-dimensional array of transducer elements.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the single substrate is an application specific integrated circuit and the transducer array is a matrix array of transducer elements.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The device as recited in claim 4, wherein the single substrate includes a decoupling capacitor mounted on the second side of the single substrate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device as recited in claim 1,
wherein the coaxial cable comprises an end portion including the conductor and a central portion including the shield,
wherein the first through via is spaced from the second through via within the single substrate such that:
the first through via and first conductive bump are aligned with the end portion; and
the second through via and the second conductive bump are aligned with the central portion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first conductive bump includes a first solder cap directly contacting and soldering the conductor to the first conductive bump.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the single substrate is a silicon substrate and the at least one through via comprises a silicon via.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an ultrasound window formed over the single substrate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The device as recited in claim 7, wherein the second conductive bump includes a second solder cap directly contacting and soldering the shield to the second conductive bump.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The device as recited in claim 10, further comprising an overcoat covering the first and second conductive bumps, a portion of the conductor soldered to first conductive bump, and a portion of the shield soldered to the second conductive bump.

### Claim 12

A method for fabricating an ultrasound device, comprising:
providing a single substrate comprising microbeamforming circuitry and a transducer array, the transducer array being on a first side of the single substrate, the single substrate including:
a first through via passing through a thickness of the single substrate between the first side and a second side, opposite the first side;
a first conductive bump disposed on the second side of the single substrate and electrically coupled to the first through via;
a second through via passing through the thickness of the single substrate between the first side and the second side;
a second conductive bump disposed on the second side of the single substrate and electrically coupled to the second through via;
electrically coupling a conductor of a coaxial cable to the first conductive bump on the second side of the single substrate, the conductor providing signals to and from the transducer array;
electrically coupling a shield of the coaxial cable to the second conductive bump on the second side of the single substrate such that the shield provides an electrical ground; and
encasing the transducer array and conductor in an ultrasound window.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the single substrate includes capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (CMUT) elements, and
wherein the single substrate is at least one of:
an interposer substrate with a one-dimensional array of transducer elements, or
an application specific integrated circuit with a matrix array of transducer elements.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method as recited in claim 12, wherein at least one of:
the transducer array includes capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (CMUT) elements,
the single substrate is an interposer substrate and the transducer array is a one-dimensional array of transducer elements, or
the single substrate is an application specific integrated circuit and the transducer array is a matrix array of transducer elements.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising mounting a decoupling capacitor on the second side of the single substrate.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising connecting the first conductive bump to the first through via, the first conductive bump including a first solder cap directly contacting and soldering the conductor to the first conductive bump.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising connecting the second conductive bump to the second through via, the second conductive bump including a second solder cap directly contacting and soldering the shield to the second conductive bump.