Imaging devices having piezoelectric transceivers with harmonic characteristics
AssigneeExo Imaging, Inc.
InventorsHaesung Kwon, Brian Bircumshaw, Sandeep Akkaraju
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described are micromachined ultrasonic transducers (MUTs) with convex or concave electrodes, which have enhanced pressure amplitude and frequency response behavior when driven at fundamental and harmonic frequencies, as well as methods of making the same.
Claims19
A micromachined ultrasonic transducer (MUT), comprising:
- a first electrode, when seen in a top view, having first and second end portions along a first axis that extends in a longitudinal direction of the first electrode, the first end portion and the second end portion comprising semi-circular shapes each having a constant radius of curvature R,
- wherein a second axis extends in a transverse direction perpendicular to the first axis and passes through a midpoint of the first electrode, the midpoint having a longitudinal location along the first axis, the first electrode being symmetric about both the first axis and the second axis and defining an outer perimeter having longitudinal edges that taper toward the midpoint such that the shape has a narrowest transverse width at the longitudinal location of the midpoint,
- wherein a half-width of the first electrode is defined by a length L measured from the midpoint, along the second axis, to the outer perimeter of the first electrode,
- wherein a total width of the first electrode at the narrowest transverse width is less than 2R such that the longitudinal edges of the first electrode on either side of the first axis at the first electrode's narrowest point has a concave shape, and
- wherein R/L, is greater than 1.
An imaging device, comprising:
- a transducer array including a plurality of micromachined ultrasonic transducers (MUTs), each of the plurality of MUTs comprising:
- a first electrode with a two-dimensional perimeter when viewed from a top-down view, the first electrode being symmetric about a longitudinal axis and about a transverse axis, the first electrode having two concave longitudinal sides that each have a single gradual bend inward toward a midpoint of the first electrode.
A micromachined ultrasonic transducer comprising an elongate electrode body having a longitudinal axis, a width measured normal to the longitudinal axis, and a tapered waist portion at which the width tapers to a minimum width along the longitudinal axis at a midpoint of the electrode body, the electrode body being symmetric about the waist portion and about the longitudinal axis such that the electrode body has two sides opposite the longitudinal axis that each bend toward the midpoint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.