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US 12,673,346 B2Granted
Interposer for an ultrasound transducer array
AssigneeSiemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
InventorsBaik Woo Lee, Christopher S. Chapman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
For transducer connection to an integrated circuit, a silicon or other wafer-based chip is processed to provide signal routing, such as altering the pitch using wafer process deposited conductors. This chip or silicon interposer may be more simply re-designed to relate the pitch of an array to the integrated circuit I/Os, avoiding redesign of the integrated circuit.
Claims14
A multidimensional transducer array system, the system comprising:
- an acoustic array having transducer elements distributed in a grid over two dimensions;
- a silicon interposer having a first surface with conductors electrically connected to the acoustic array, the conductors extending in the silicon interposer to a second surface opposite the first surface, the silicon interposer comprising a conductor distribution layer having deposited wiring in multiple layers interconnected by vias extending only part of a depth through the conductor distribution layer as part of electrical paths extending entirely through the conductor distribution layer, the deposited wiring in the multiple layers and vias forming the conductors within the conductor distribution layer, the conductor distribution layer changing the conductors from a pitch of the elements to a pitch of pads of the integrated circuit;
- a flexible circuit material positioned between the acoustic array and the silicon interposer, the flexible circuit material having vias connecting from the elements to the first surface;
- an integrated circuit having transmit and/or receive circuits for ultrasound scanning with the acoustic array, the integrated circuit electrically connected to the conductors on the second surface of the silicon interposer;
- and
- an adaptor between the acoustic array and the silicon interposer, the adaptor having a curved surface on which the acoustic array rests as a curved array.
3 more elements
A method for connecting electronics with an array of acoustic elements, the method comprising:
- forming a wiring layer redistributing conductors, the wiring layer formed on a wafer with a wafer process comprising back-end-of-line or redistribution layer, the wafer having vias at constant pitch through the wafer, the wiring layer changing the pitch;
- connecting a flexible circuit material to a wafer part of the wafer opposite the wiring layer and to the array;
- connecting the wiring layer to an integrated circuit, the connecting electrically connecting the acoustic elements to pads of the integrated circuit through the wafer and wiring layer, wherein connecting the wiring layer comprises connecting the wiring layer to the integrated circuit, and then connecting the wafer part to the flexible circuit material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.