Thermally enhanced piezoelectric element

For a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer configured to transmit ultrasound having at least a first frequency of at least 100 KHz along a first dimension toward a front medium, a piezoelectric element comprising:

• a first plurality of piezoelectric layers, each piezoelectric layer configured to produce the ultrasound;
• a second plurality of piezoelectric layers each piezoelectric layer configured to produce the ultrasound;
• a first plurality of high thermal conductivity (HTC) layers, each HTC layer having a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/mC;
• a second plurality of HTC layers, each HTC layer having a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/mC,
• the first plurality of piezoelectric layers in alternating juxtaposition with the first plurality of HTC layers along the first dimension such that each piezoelectric layer of the first plurality is adjacent to at least a different one of the first plurality of HTC layers,
• the second plurality of piezoelectric layers being positioned in alternating juxtaposition with the second plurality of HTC layers along the first dimension such that each piezoelectric layer of the second plurality is adjacent to at least a different one of the second plurality of HTC layers;
• a first HTC side member having a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/mC, the first HTC side member extending along the first dimension;
• a second HTC side member having a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/mC, the second HTC member extending along the first dimension;
• and
• an internal HTC member having a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/mC, the internal HTC member extending along the first dimension, the internal HTC member being positioned between the first HTC side member and the second HTC side member,
• the first plurality of HTC layers thermally coupled to and extending from the first HTC side member toward the internal HTC member, the first plurality of piezoelectric layers coupled to and extending from the first HTC side member toward the internal HTC member, and
• the second plurality of HTC layers thermally coupled to and extending from the second HTC side member toward the internal HTC member, the second plurality of piezoelectric layers coupled to and extending from the second HTC side member toward the internal HTC member.