Method for designing ultrasonic transducers with acoustically active integrated electronics

A method for designing an acoustic impedance transformer for use in an ultrasonic transducer between an acoustically active backing block and a piezoelectric layer on which at least one matching layer is arranged, comprising:

• selecting properties of a substrate having an electronic circuit arranged in connection therewith, the substrate having the electronic circuit being part of the transformer;
• selecting properties of each of at least one acoustically active layer different than the backing block, the at least one acoustically active layer being part of the transformer;
• selecting properties of an interconnect layer interposed between the electronic circuit and the piezoelectric layer, the interconnect layer being a part of the transformer;
• determining the acoustic impedance at a side of the piezoelectric layer adjacent the transformer whereby the electronic circuit is thus considered in the determination of the acoustic impedance;
• and
• varying the properties of the substrate, the properties of the at least one acoustically active layer and the properties of the interconnect layer to obtain a desired acoustic performance characteristics at the side of the piezoelectric layer adjacent the transformer.