Ultrasound array transducer manufacturing

A flexible ultrasonic transducer array comprising:

• a layer of piezoelectric material on a metallic foil substrate;
• and
• a plurality of electrodes on a surface of the piezoelectric material;
• a plurality of electrical conduction tracks and a plurality of electrical connectors on the surface of the piezoelectric material or on a layer of dielectric material that is on the surface of the piezoelectric material layer;
• wherein respective electrical conduction tracks electrically connect a respective electrode to a respective electrical connector;
• the respective electrode is integral with the respective electrical conduction track.

A set of computer readable instructions or computer code configured such that, when processed by additive manufacturing equipment, permit, control or cause the additive manufacturing equipment to:

• use additive techniques to apply a plurality of electrodes, a plurality of electrical conduction tracks and a plurality of electrical connectors to a surface of a layer of piezoelectric material on a foil substrate, or to a layer of dielectric material provided on the surface of the piezoelectric material;
• wherein the electrodes are arranged in an electrode array, and respective electrical conduction tracks electrically connect a respective electrode to a respective electrical connector;
• and
• the additive techniques comprise at least one of:
• masking, deposition, photo patterning, printing or patterned coating.