Broadband phased array transducer with wide bandwidth, high sensitivity and reduced cross-talk and method for manufacture thereof
AssigneeAcuson Corporation
InventorsWendy J. Lee, John William Sliwa, Jr., Sevig Ayter, Amin Hanafy
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Abstract
There is provided a broadband transducer array for use in an acoustic imaging system having a plurality of transducer elements disposed on a preformed support. The support has a non-planar top surface on which are disposed a plurality of elevationally curved transducer elements. Kerfs separate each transducer element from one another. The depth of the kerf with reference to the non-planar top surface of the support may be uniform or non-uniform.
Claims23
A transducer for medical ultrasound imaging comprising:
- an attenuative prefabricated backing block having a non-planar top surface in an elevation direction wherein said top surface is to be oriented toward the object to be imaged;
- a flex circuit disposed on said non-planar top surface;
- a piezoelectric layer having a first surface coupled to said flex circuit;
- and
- an electrode coupled to a second surface of said piezoelectric layer.
A transducer array for medical ultrasound imaging comprising:
- a prefabricated support having a non-planar surface in an elevation direction and a plurality of transducer elements located on said non-planar surface;
- and
- a plurality of element defining kerfs extending into said support, said plurality of kerfs separating each transducer element from one another along the azimuthal direction.
A transducer for medical ultrasound imaging comprising:
- an attenuative prefabricated backing block having a non-planar top surface in an elevation direction wherein said top surface is to be oriented toward the object to be imaged;
- a flex circuit disposed on said non-planar top surface;
- a piezoelectric layer of uniform thickness having a first surface coupled to said flex circuit, said piezoelectric layer having a plurality of bending kerfs extending into said piezoelectric layer, said plurality of bending kerfs arranged to run along an azimuthal direction;
- and
- an electrode coupled to a second surface of said piezoelectric layer.
A wide field of view transducer for medical ultra sound imaging comprising:
- an attenuative prefabricated backing block having a non-planar top surface in an elevation direction and an azimuthal direction wherein said top surface is to be oriented toward the object to be imaged;
- a flex circuit disposed on said non-planar top surface;
- a piezoelectric layer of uniform thickness having a first surface coupled to said flex circuit, said piezoelectric layer having a plurality of bending kerfs extending into said piezoelectric layer, said plurality of bending kerfs arranged to run along the azimuthal direction;
- an electrode coupled to a second surface of said piezoelectric layer;
- at least one acoustic matching layer disposed on said electrode;
- and
- a plurality of element defining kerfs extending through said acoustic matching layer, said electrode, said piezoelectric layer, said flex circuit and partially into said backing block, said element defining kerfs arranged to run along the elevation direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.