# US 2019/0167229 A1 · Ultrasound imaging probe, manufacturing method thereof, and ultrasonic imaging device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167229 A1 - Document ID: US20190167229A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/209,525 - Filed: 2018-12-04 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04 - Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd. - Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd. - Inventors: Taiichi TAKEZAKI; Shuntaro MACHIDA; Hiroaki HASEGAWA; Tomohiko TANAKA; Ryo IMAI; Yoshiho SEO; Takahiro MATSUDA; Shinsuke ONOE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167229A1 ## CPC - A61B 8/445: {Details of catheter construction} - A61B 5/0095: {by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements} - A61B 5/6852: {Catheters} - A61B 5/6876: {Blood vessel} - B06B 1/0292: {Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type} - A61B 8/12: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - B06B: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, {e.g.} FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL (for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B07B1/40, B23Q17/12, B24B31/06; measurement of mechanical vibrations G01H; in direction finding, locating, distance or velocity measuring G01S; {generating seismic energy G01V1/02}; control of mechanical vibrations in general G05D; sound-producing devices, e.g. bells, sirens, whistles G10K, {e.g. methods or devices for transmitting, conducting, or directing sound in general G10K11/00}; generation of electrical oscillations H03B; electromechanical resonators in general H03H; electromechanical transducers {for communication techniques, e.g. microphones, speakers} H04R) ## Abstract An ultrasound imaging probe capable of securing an assembly accuracy of and improving a resolution performance of an obtained image is provided. A photoacoustic catheter includes: a silicon substrate which includes an ultrasonic transducer for detecting an ultrasonic wave formed thereon and a through hole passing through front and rear surfaces; an optical fiber which oscillates a laser; a lens which condenses the laser and is arranged within the through hole; a tubular housing; a glass cover which covers the lens; and a resin which fills a gap between the through hole and the lens. Further, the silicon substrate and the optical fiber are fixed to a part of the housing in the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ultrasound imaging probe comprising: a substrate which includes an ultrasonic transducer for detecting an ultrasonic wave formed thereon and a through hole passing through front and rear surfaces; an optical fiber which oscillates a laser; a lens which condenses the laser and is arranged in the through hole; and a tubular housing, wherein the substrate and the optical fiber are fixed to the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ultrasound imaging probe according to claim 1, wherein the lens includes a first surface which intersects with an oscillating direction of the laser and a second surface which is on an opposite side to the first surface, the second surface which is positioned on an outer side among the first surface and the second surface is covered with a glass cover which contacts the second surface, and a third surface which is positioned between the first surface and the second surface is covered with a resin. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ultrasound imaging probe according to claim 1, wherein each of the lens and the through hole has a cylindrical shape, and a difference between a diameter of the through hole and a diameter of the lens is within 150 μm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ultrasound imaging probe according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is an electrostatic capacitance sensor formed on a silicon substrate and is arranged around the through hole in plan view, and the lens having a cylindrical shape is arranged on an inner circumferential side of the ultrasonic transducer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ultrasound imaging probe according to claim 1, wherein the substrate has a disc shape, the housing has a cylindrical shape, and an outer circumferential portion of the substrate contacts an inner circumferential wall of the housing. ### Claim 6 A manufacturing method of an ultrasound imaging probe comprising: (a) a process of preparing a substrate which includes an ultrasonic transducer for detecting an ultrasonic wave formed thereon and a through hole passing through front and rear surfaces; (b) a process of fixing the substrate to the inside of a tubular housing after the process (a); (c) a process of arranging a lens within the through hole of the substrate after the process (b); and, (d) a process of fixing an optical fiber for oscillating a laser to the inside of the housing after the process (c), wherein the substrate and the optical fiber are fixed to the housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The manufacturing method of the ultrasound imaging probe according to claim 6, wherein the process (a) has (a1) a process of forming the ultrasonic transducer which is an electrostatic capacitance type on a silicon substrate which is the substrate, and (a2) a process of forming the through hole passing through the front and rear surfaces in the silicon substrate after the process (a1). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The manufacturing method of the ultrasound imaging probe according to claim 7, wherein in the process (a2), the through hole is formed by an etching processing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The manufacturing method of the ultrasound imaging probe according to claim 6, wherein in the process (c), the lens is fitted into the through hole, and a gap between the lens and the through hole is filled with a resin. ### Claim 10 An ultrasonic imaging device comprising: an ultrasound imaging probe which includes a substrate in which an ultrasonic transducer for detecting an ultrasonic wave is formed thereon, and an optical fiber which oscillates a laser; a laser control part which controls the laser; a receiving part which receives a signal which is converted from the ultrasonic wave by the ultrasonic transducer; an image processing part which performs image processing on the signal received by the receiving part; and a display part which displays images processed by the image processing part, wherein in the ultrasound imaging probe, the laser is condensed by a lens arranged within a through hole included by the substrate, and the substrate and the optical fiber are fixed to a tubular housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 10, wherein the lens provided in the ultrasound imaging probe includes a first surface which intersects with an oscillating direction of the laser and a second surface which is on an opposite side to the first surface, the second surface which is positioned on an outer side among the first surface and the second surface is covered with a glass cover which contacts the second surface, and a third surface which is positioned between the first surface and the second surface is covered with a resin. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 10, wherein each of the lens and the through hole included by the substrate, which are provided in the ultrasound imaging probe, has a cylindrical shape, and a difference between a diameter of the through hole and a diameter of the lens is within 150 μm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 10, wherein the ultrasonic transducer included in the ultrasound imaging probe is an electrostatic capacitance sensor formed on a silicon substrate and is arranged around the through hole in plan view, and the lens having a cylindrical shape is arranged on an inner circumferential side of the ultrasonic transducer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 10, wherein the substrate provided in the ultrasound imaging probe has a disc shape, the housing has a cylindrical shape, and an outer circumferential portion of the substrate is fixed to an inner circumferential wall of the housing.