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US 2013/0076208 A1Published application
Ultrasound probe and method of producing the same
AssigneeFUJIFILM Corporation
InventorAtsushi OSAWA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ultrasound probe includes a backing member, inorganic piezoelectric elements arranged on a top surface of the backing member, an acoustic matching layer disposed on and extending over the inorganic piezoelectric elements, and organic piezoelectric elements arranged on the acoustic matching layer.
Claims22
An ultrasound probe comprising:
- a backing member;
- inorganic piezoelectric elements arranged on a top surface of the backing member;
- an acoustic matching layer disposed on and extending over the inorganic piezoelectric elements;
- and
- organic piezoelectric elements arranged on the acoustic matching layer.
2 more elements
A method of producing an ultrasound probe, comprising the steps of:
- forming an array of inorganic piezoelectric elements on a top surface of a backing member;
- joining an acoustic matching layer extending over the inorganic piezoelectric elements onto the inorganic piezoelectric elements;
- and
- forming an array of organic piezoelectric elements on the acoustic matching layer.
1 more element
An ultrasound probe comprising:
- organic piezoelectric elements arranged in an array;
- and
- signal line extension electrodes extended outwards from organic piezoelectric elements and each having a connection portion formed therein, the connection portion having a shape for improving wettability for an electric connection material having fluidity.
A method of producing an ultrasound probe, comprising the steps of:
- forming signal line extension electrodes in an array on a top surface of an insulation sheet and forming in each of the signal line extension electrodes a connection portion having a shape for improving wettability for an electric connection material having fluidity;
- joining a rear surface of the insulation sheet onto the top surface of the acoustic matching layer so that part of the signal line extension electrodes protrudes from the top surface of the acoustic matching layer;
- bending the part of the signal line extension electrodes protruding from the acoustic matching layer along a lateral surface of the acoustic matching layer together with the insulation sheet;
- and
- forming organic piezoelectric elements on the signal line extension electrodes disposed on a top surface of the acoustic matching layer through an intermediary of the insulation sheet.
2 more elements
A method of producing an ultrasound probe, comprising the steps of:
- disposing a sacrificial layer adjacent to an acoustic matching layer;
- forming a conductive layer on top surfaces of the acoustic matching layer and the sacrificial layer;
- dicing the conductive layer at a given pitch in a direction perpendicular to a boundary between the acoustic matching layer and the sacrificial layer to form signal electrode layers and signal line extension electrodes integrally connected to the signal electrode layers;
- forming a connection portion having a shape for improving wettability for an electric connection material having fluidity in each of the signal line extension electrodes located on a boundary between the acoustic matching layer and the sacrificial layer;
- removing the sacrificial layer and bending the part of the signal line extension electrodes protruding from the acoustic matching layer along a lateral surface of the acoustic matching layer together with the insulation sheet;
- and
- forming organic piezoelectric elements on the signal electrode layers disposed on the top surface of the acoustic matching layer.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.