Ultrasound transducer, ultrasound probe, and a method for manufacturing ultrasound transducers

An ultrasound probe comprising:

• a group of ultrasound vibrators composed of two-dimensionally arranged ultrasound vibrators each of which includes a piezoelectric transducer in which a front electrode is formed on the front surface that is the ultrasonic radiation surface and in which a back electrode is formed on the rear surface;
• a wiring board block composed of a laminate, along the row direction or the column direction with respect to the two-dimensional arrangement, of a plurality of wiring boards each of which has a first surface facing said rear surface of said ultrasound vibrators and a second surface on the opposite side thereof;
• first connection parts configured to be provided on said first surface corresponding to the arrangement of said ultrasound vibrators and to be conducted with said back electrodes;
• second connection parts configured to be provided on said second surface or a third surface that is perpendicular to said second surface corresponding to said first connection parts respectively;
• connecting leads configured to establish conductivity between said first connection parts and said second connection parts through a fourth surface that is perpendicular to both the second surface and the third surface of said wiring boards;
• and
• electronic circuits configured to be connected to a surface of said wiring board block on which said second connection parts are provided, to be conducted with said second connection parts, and to process signals from said piezoelectric transducers;
• and
• an interface part configured to establish conductivity between an external device and said electronic circuits.

A method for manufacturing an ultrasound probe, said ultrasound probe comprising:

• a group of ultrasound vibrators composed of two-dimensionally arranged ultrasound vibrators each of which includes a piezoelectric transducer in which a front electrode is formed on the front surface that is the ultrasonic radiation surface and in which a back electrode is formed on the rear surface;
• and wiring boards each of which has a first surface facing said rear surface, a second surface on the opposite side thereof, and a third surface that is perpendicular to said second surface, comprising:
• a process of providing first connection parts on said first surface corresponding to the arrangement of said ultrasound vibrators, providing second connection parts on said second surface corresponding to said first connections respectively, and providing connecting leads that establish conductivity between said first connection parts and said second connection parts on a fourth surface that is perpendicular to said second surface and said third surface;
• a process of forming a wiring board block by laminating a plurality of said wiring boards along a first direction with respect to said two-dimensional arrangement or a second direction that is perpendicular to said first direction;
• and
• a process of establishing conductivity between said first connection parts and said back electrodes by directly or indirectly connecting said first surface to said rear surface of said ultrasound vibrator.