Method of producing a backing structure for an ultrasound transceiver
AssigneeMicroSound Systems, Inc.
InventorsScott S. Corbett, III, Jeffery Alan Strole
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Abstract
A method of producing an acoustically absorbing anisotropic backing structure for an ultrasound transceiver is disclosed. Laser machining of a substrate of acoustically absorbent electrically resistive material produces a set of vias and indented pad seats. The machined substrate is plated with an electrically conductive material. Excess electrically conductive material is removed from the substrate to leave an electrically conductive material plating on the indented pad seats and the vias to form conductive pads and plated vias on the substrate.
Claims12
A method of producing an acoustically absorbing electrically conducting backing structure and piezoelectric transceiving elements for an ultrasound transceiver, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a substrate of acoustically absorbent, electrically resistive material, said substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface opposed to said first major surface;
- (b) directing a laser at said first major surface and laser machining a set of through-hole vias through said substrate to said second major surface, said through-hole vias being distributed over two dimensions;
- (c) plating said substrate with an electronically conductive material to form a plated substrate having electrically conductive plated vias, extending from said first major surface to said second major surface;
- and
- (d) removing excess electrically conductive material from said plated substrate to leave a pattern of electrically conductive pads on said substrate selectively connected to said electrically conductive plated vias, thereby producing said backing structure;
- wherein said pattern of electrically conductive pads is a two-dimensional pattern of conductive pads and further including the additional steps of:
- (e) providing a partially formed two dimensional array of piezoelectric transceiving elements, separated by a set of intersecting kerfs, each element having a ground electrode and a signal electrode;
- and
- (b) attaching said partially formed two dimensional array of piezoelectric transceiving elements to said backing structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.