Ultrasonic Transducer and Method of Fabricating an Ultrasonic Transducer

A method of producing an ultrasonic transducer, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a delay line substrate;
• providing a piezoelectric substrate as an active transducer element;
• depositing a first metal layer on the delay line substrate;
• depositing a second metal layer and the piezoelectric substrate;
• bonding the delay line substrate to the piezoelectric substrate to form a stack and to facilitate coupling ultrasonic waves from the piezoelectric element into the delay line or from the delay line into the piezoelectric element;
• milling the piezoelectric substrate to expose a portion of at least one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer to allow electrical contact;
• depositing a first patterned electrode on the exposed portion to allow external electrical connection to the at least one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer;
• and
• depositing a second patterned electrode on the piezoelectric element, the second patterned electrode defining an active area of the ultrasonic transducer and configured to electrically connect externally.

A method of producing an ultrasonic transducer, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a delay line substrate;
• providing a piezoelectric substrate as an active transducer element;
• depositing a metal layer on either the delay line substrate or the piezoelectric substrate;
• bonding the delay line substrate to the piezoelectric substrate such that the deposited metal layer is between the delay line substrate and the piezoelectric substrate to form a stack and to facilitate coupling ultrasonic waves from the piezoelectric element into the delay line or from the delay line into the piezoelectric element;
• milling the piezoelectric substrate to expose a portion of at least one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer to allow electrical contact;
• depositing a first patterned electrode on the exposed portion to allow external electrical connection to the at least one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer;
• and
• depositing a second patterned electrode on the piezoelectric element, the second patterned electrode defining an active area of the ultrasonic transducer and configured to electrically connect externally.