Ultrasound probe, ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, and manufacturing method of ultrasound probe

A method for manufacturing an ultrasound probe which has a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged in a first direction, a width of the piezoelectric element being a predetermined value, the width of the piezoelectric element being a length in the first direction,

• wherein a second direction intersects the first direction, and wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction,
• the method comprising:
• fixing, on a backing material, a sheet-like laminate and in which a first conductive portion, a piezoelectric portion, and a second conductive portion are sequentially laminated, the sheet-like laminate extending perpendicular to the third direction;
• forming an acoustic matching portion in a partial region in the second direction of an upper surface of the sheet-like laminate, the upper surface being at an opposite side to a backing material side;
• forming a first conductor layer on at least one end side of the acoustic matching portion in the second direction on the upper surface of the sheet-like laminate, wherein a thickness of the first conductor layer is equal to or less than 1.6 times the predetermined value, the thickness of the first conductor layer being a length of the first conductor layer in the third direction;
• forming the plurality of piezoelectric elements by dividing the sheet-like laminate on which the acoustic matching portion and the first conductor layer are formed into a plurality of parts in the first direction by cutting;
• and
• forming, on the first conductor layers divided into the plurality of parts, a second conductor layer extending over a plurality of the first conductor layers.