Ultrasonic diagnostic transducer array with elevation focus

An array of ultrasonic transducer elements which transmits acoustic beams in a plane extending from a central longitudinal axis of said array, including a plurality of elements arrayed in the longitudinal direction comprising subelements arrayed in the elevational direction and exhibiting varying aspect ratios such that the electro-mechanical coupling coefficients of the subelements vary as a function of their distance from said central longitudinal axis, whereby an acoustic beam which varies in intensity in the elevational direction may .be produced by said array,

• wherein said aspect ratios of said subelements vary such that subelements closer to said central longitudinal axis exhibit a greater electro-mechanical coupling coefficient than subelements which are further removed from said central longitudinal axis.

An array of ultrasonic transducer elements which transmits acoustic beams in a plane extending from a central longitudinal axis of said array, including a plurality of elements arrayed in the longitudinal direction comprising subelements arrayed in the elevational direction and exhibiting varying aspect ratios such that the electro-mechanical coupling coefficients of the subelements vary as a function of their distance from said central longitudinal axis, whereby an acoustic beam which varies in intensity in the elevational direction may be produced by said array,

• wherein the electro-mechanical coupling coefficients of a line of subelements arrayed in the elevational direction vary as a function of their distance from said central longitudinal axis with subelements more closely located to said central longitudinal axis exhibiting a greater electro-mechanical coupling coefficient than subelements which are further removed from said central longitudinal axis, whereby an acoustic beam which exhibits a greater intensity at the elevational center of said array than at the elevational edges may be produced by said array.

A linear array of ultrasonic transducer elements arrayed in the longitudinal direction of said array which transmits acoustic beams in a plane extending from a central longitudinal axis of said array, comprising:

• a first group of elements located about the longitudinal center of said array and operable for the transmission of acoustic energy in the near and far fields;
• and
• second and third groups of elements located entirely on opposite sides of said first group of elements in the longitudinal direction, with elements of said second and third groups extending a greater distance in the elevational direction from said central longitudinal axis than said first group of elements, wherein said second and third groups of elements are operable in concert with said first group of elements to provide elevational focusing in the far field.

A linear array of ultrasonic transducer elements arrayed in the longitudinal direction of said array which transmits acoustic beams in a plane extending from a central longitudinal axis of said array, comprising a plurality of elements each of which is aligned in parallel in the elevational direction with an adjacent element and exhibiting extension in the elevational direction with respect to said central longitudinal axis which varies in relation to the displacement of said elements from the longitudinal center of the array.