Intraluminal ultrasound imaging device comprising a substrate separated into a plurality of spaced-apart segments, intraluminal ultrasound imaging device comprising a trench, and method of manufacturing

A method of manufacturing an intraluminal ultrasound imaging device, comprising:

• providing a substrate comprising a hard mask on a first side of the substrate;
• forming a first plurality of holes through the hard mask in a first area;
• etching the substrate through the first plurality of holes, thereby forming a trench;
• depositing a material layer over first plurality of holes;
• forming a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements in a second area adjacent to the first area;
• and
• forming a flexible layer over the substrate in the first and second areas.

An intraluminal ultrasound imaging device, comprising:

• a flexible elongate member configured to be positioned within a body lumen of a patient, the flexible elongate member comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion;
• and
• an ultrasound imaging assembly disposed at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member, the ultrasound imaging assembly configured to obtain imaging data of the body lumen, the ultrasound imaging assembly comprising a transducer array comprising:
• a substrate,
• a silicon oxide layer disposed over the substrate, and
• a plurality of rows of micromachined ultrasound transducer elements disposed on the silicon oxide layer,
• wherein two of the plurality of rows of micromachined ultrasound transducer elements are spaced apart by a trench formed by etching through a screen formed in the silicon oxide layer.