# US 12,213,834 B2 · Ultrasound transducer with acoustic absorber structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,213,834 B2 - Document ID: US12213834B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/953,072 - Filed: 2020-11-19 - Published: 2021-05-27 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-11-22 - Assignees: Exo Imaging, Inc. - Applicants: Exo Imaging, Inc. - Inventors: Daniela Marisa Fredrick; Charles Baumgartner; Brian Lee Bircumshaw; Joseph Michael Adam - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12213834B2 ## CPC - A61B 8/4444: {related to the probe} - A61B 8/4483: {characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer} - G01S 7/52079: {Constructional features (constructional features of transducers B06B; mounting transducers G10K11/00; constructional features of ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/44)} - G10K 11/002: {Devices for damping, suppressing, obstructing or conducting sound in acoustic devices (G10K1/06 - G10K1/10 take precedence; for electro-mechanical transducers for communication H04R3/002)} - G10K 11/165: Particles in a matrix - A61B 8/546: {involving monitoring or regulation of device temperature} - C08J 2205/00: Foams characterised by their properties - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29) ## Abstract Described are acoustic absorber materials with high acoustic attenuation and high thermal conductivity comprising an inorganic, porous foam and an absorbing material within at least a portion of the pores of the foam, ultrasound transducers and devices including the same, as well as methods of making the materials. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ultrasound probe comprising: (a) a printed circuit board (PCB); (b) an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) coupled to the PCB directly above the PCB; (c) a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer (pMUT) coupled to the ASIC; and (d) a thermally conductive acoustic absorber mounted between the PCB and a heatsink, the thermally conductive acoustic absorber comprising: i) an acoustic absorber comprising a porous copper foam having a plurality of pores; and (ii) an acoustic absorbing material comprising an epoxy and tungsten particle mixture within at least a portion of the plurality of pores of the porous copper foam. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the pores form a continuous network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the pores form a semi-continuous network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the pores are partially closed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the pores are closed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the porous foam has a pore density of about 2 pores/cm to about 100 pores/cm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the porous foam has a porosity of about 60% to about 98%. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the porous foam comprises a cellular material, a sponge material, or both. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the porous foam comprises an inorganic material with a porous foam structure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The ultrasound probe of claim 9, wherein the inorganic material comprises a metal, a metal alloy, a ceramic, a semiconductor, a composite, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The ultrasound probe of claim 10, wherein the inorganic material is at least partially crystalline. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, further comprising an acoustic reflector mounted between the PCB and the acoustic absorber to reflect at least a portion of acoustic energy back toward the ultrasound transducer before any remaining acoustic energy reaches the acoustic absorber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive acoustic absorber is directly bonded to the PCB and the heatsink. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the acoustic absorber reduces reflections of acoustic energy off the heatsink and wherein a thermal conductivity of the acoustic absorber is sufficient to act as a heatsink. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the pMUT is coupled to the ASIC through a plurality of pillars. ### Claim 16 An ultrasound probe comprising: (a) a printed circuit board (PCB); (b) an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) coupled to the PCB; (c) a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer (pMUT) coupled to the ASIC; and (d) a thermally conductive acoustic absorber mounted between the PCB and the ASIC, the thermally conductive acoustic absorber comprising: (i) an acoustic absorber comprising a porous copper foam having a plurality of pores; and (ii) an acoustic absorbing material comprising an epoxy and tungsten particle mixture within at least a portion of the plurality of pores of the porous copper foam. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The ultrasound probe of claim 16, wherein the pMUT is coupled to the ASIC through a plurality of pillars. ### Claim 18 An ultrasound probe comprising: (a) a printed circuit board (PCB); (b) an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) coupled to the PCB; (c) a micromachined ultrasound transducer (MUT) coupled to the ASIC; and (d) a thermally conductive acoustic absorber comprising: (i) a porous foam having a plurality of pores that form a semi-continuous network; and (ii) an acoustic absorbing material within at least a portion of the plurality of pores of the porous foam. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The ultrasound probe of claim 18, wherein the porous foam comprises a copper foam. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The ultrasound probe of claim 19, wherein the acoustic absorbing material comprises an epoxy and an inorganic filler. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The ultrasound probe of claim 20, wherein the inorganic filler comprises tungsten. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The ultrasound probe of claim 18, wherein the porous foam comprises an inorganic material with a porous foam structure. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The ultrasound probe of claim 18, wherein the MUT comprises a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The ultrasound probe of claim 18, wherein the MUT is coupled to the ASIC through a plurality of pillars. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The ultrasound probe of claim 18, wherein the PCB and the MUT are coupled to different sides of the ASIC.