# US 12,109,591 B2 · Ultrasound transducer array architecture and method of manufacture

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- Number: US 12,109,591 B2
- Document ID: US12109591B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/565,219
- Filed: 2019-09-09
- Published: 2021-03-11
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-09
- Assignees: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
- Applicants: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
- Inventors: Kevin Mathew Durocher; Warren Lee; James Wilson Rose
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109591B2

## CPC

- A61B 8/5207: {involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image}
- B06B 1/0685: {on the back only of piezoelectric elements}
- A61B 8/4494: {characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements}
- B06B 1/0292: {Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type}
- B06B 1/0607: {using multiple elements (B06B1/064 and B06B1/0688 take precedence)}
- B06B 1/0622: {on one surface}
- A61B 8/4411: {Device being modular}
- A61B 8/445: {Details of catheter construction}
- A61B 8/54: {Control of the diagnostic device}
- B06B 2201/76: Medical, dental
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- 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)

## Abstract

An ultrasound transducer array architecture and manufacturing method is provided. The method includes providing an ultrasonic transducer including a plurality of modules, each module including an ultrasonic transducer array and an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the ultrasonic transducer array and the ASIC electrically coupled to a flexible interconnect, the flexible interconnect coupled to a connector. The ASIC and flexible interconnect may be arranged such that each ultrasonic transducer array is directly adjacent to another ultrasonic transducer array. The ASIC may be electrically coupled to the flexible interconnect and the ASIC to the transducer array via a redistribution layer. Each of the plurality of modules may be a stack with the ultrasonic transducer array on the RDL and RDL on the ASIC, wherein the flexible interconnect extends laterally from a top surface of the ASIC and curves down to a bottom surface of the ASIC.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
providing an ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of modules, each module comprising an ultrasonic transducer array, a flexible interconnect, a connector, and an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a top surface of the ASIC electrically coupled to the flexible interconnect at a first interconnect end, the flexible interconnect extending laterally from the top surface of the ASIC and curving around a first lateral side of the ASIC to a second interconnect end directly vertically below a bottom surface of the ASIC and between the first lateral side and a second lateral side of the ASIC, the flexible interconnect coupled to the connector below the bottom surface of the ASIC, wherein:
a footprint of the ASIC is smaller than a footprint of the ultrasonic transducer array, and
the ASIC and the flexible interconnect are arranged such that the ultrasonic transducer array of each module of the plurality of modules is directly adjacent to another ultrasonic transducer array of another one of the plurality of modules.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
each of the plurality of modules comprises a redsitribution layer (RDL) between the ultrasonic transducer array and the ASIC, and
the RDL electrically couples both:
the ASIC directly to the flexible interconnect, and
the ASIC directly to the ultrasonic transducer array.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of modules comprises a stack with the ultrasonic transducer array on the RDL and the RDL on the ASIC.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the connector is coupled to a bottom surface of the flexible interconnect between the first interconnect end and the second interconnect end.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of modules comprises a stack comprising the ultrasonic transducer array on the ASIC, and the ASIC on a base plate, wherein the flexible interconnect extends from the stack to a substrate comprising the connector.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the substrate is orthogonal to the stack.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the base plate comprises a metal plate with alignment pins or a composite plate with the alignment pins.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer array comprises capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (cMUT).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer array comprises piezoelectric transducers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein an acoustic backing layer is beneath the bottom surface of the ASIC.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first interconnect end electrically coupled to the top surface of the ASIC is entirely below the ultrasonic transducer array.

### Claim 13

A system comprising:
an ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of modules, each module comprising an ultrasonic transducer array, a flexible interconnect, a connector, and an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a top surface of the ASIC electrically coupled to the flexible interconnect at a first interconnect end, the flexible interconnect extending laterally from the top surface of the ASIC and curving around a first lateral side of the ASIC to a second interconnect end directly vertically below a bottom surface of the ASIC and between the first lateral side and a second lateral side of the ASIC, the flexible interconnect coupled to the connector below the bottom surface of the ASIC, wherein:
a footprint of the ASIC is smaller than a footprint of the ultrasonic transducer array, and
the ASIC and the flexible interconnect are arranged such that the ultrasonic transducer array of each module of the plurality of modules is directly adjacent to another ultrasonic transducer array of another one of the plurality of modules.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein:
each of the plurality of modules comprises a redistribution layer (RDL) between the ultrasonic transducer array and the ASIC, and
the RDL electrically couples both:
the ASIC directly to the flexible interconnect, and
the ASIC directly to the ultrasonic transducer array.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of modules comprises a stack with the ultrasonic transducer array on the RDL and the RDL on the ASIC.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the connector is coupled to a bottom surface of the flexible interconnect between the first interconnect end and the second interconnect end.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of modules comprises a stack comprising the ultrasonic transducer array on the ASIC, and the ASIC on a base plate, wherein the flexible interconnect extends from the stack to a substrate comprising the connector.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the base plate comprises a metal plate with alignment pins or a composite plate with the alignment pins.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the ultrasonic transducer array comprises capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (cMUT).

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the ultrasonic transducer array comprises piezoelectric transducers.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein an acoustic backing layer is beneath the bottom surface of the ASIC.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the first interconnect end electrically coupled to the top surface of the ASIC is entirely below the ultrasonic transducer array.