Stretchable ultrasonic transducer devices
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsSheng XU, Lin ZHANG, Chonghe WANG, Hongjie HU, Xiaoshi LI
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Abstract
A conformable piezoelectric transducer array for performing ultrasound or the like includes a silicone elastomer substrate and a silicone elastomer superstrate. A plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements are disposed between the substrate and superstrate. A first electrical interconnect layer electrically interconnects a first surface of the transducer elements adjacent to the substrate and a second electrical interconnect layer electrically interconnecting a second surface of the transducer elements adjacent to the superstrate.
Claims10
A method of forming a conformable piezoelectric transducer array, comprising:
- bonding each of a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements to a conductive vibration damping backing element;
- patterning a plurality of electrical interconnect sheets to define a plurality of patterned sheets each having a patterned island and bridge structure that includes a plurality of islands electrically interconnected by bridges;
- transfer printing first and second ones of the patterned sheets to a silicone elastomer substrate and a silicone elastomer superstrate, respectively.
- bonding a surface of each of the piezoelectric transducer elements to the transferred pattern on the substrate;
- bonding a surface of each of the conductive damping backing elements to the transferred patterned on the superstrate;
- filling gaps between the substrate and the superstrate with silicone elastomer material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.