Electro-dynamic phased array lens for controlling acoustic wave propagation

A lens for controlling one or more characteristics of an acoustic wave passing through the lens, comprising:

• a first cell containing a first voltage-sensitive medium and second cell containing a second voltage-sensitive medium, the first and second cells separated by a substrate to isolate the first and second cells from one another;
• a first electrode coupled across the first cell;
• and
• a second electrode coupled across the second cell;
• wherein the first and second voltage-sensitive media have an effect on the acoustic wave characteristic that varies with a voltage applied across the first and second electrodes, respectively.

A system for ablating tissue, comprising:

• a transducer having one or more transducer elements configured for transmitting acoustic waves;
• and
• a lens positioned adjacent the transducer such that the acoustic waves transmitted by the transducer elements pass through the lens, the lens comprising:
• an array of cells disposed adjacent one another such that an incident acoustic wave from the transducer elements passes through multiple cells of the array, each cell coupled to a respective electrical circuit, and
• a voltage-sensitive medium disposed in each cell, the medium having an effect on the acoustic wave that varies with a voltage applied across the medium through the respective electrical circuit.