# US 9,039,624 B2 · Ultrasonic HIFU transducer with non-magnetic conductive vias

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- Number: US 9,039,624 B2
- Document ID: US9039624B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/508,646
- Filed: 2010-11-03
- Published: 2012-12-20
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2009-11-09
- Assignees: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
- Applicants: Barry C. Scheirer; Ryan Manning; John William Myers
- Inventors: Barry C. Scheirer; Ryan Manning; John William Myers
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039624B2

## CPC

- B06B 1/0637: {Spherical array}
- A61N 7/02: Localised ultrasound hyperthermia
- G10K 11/004: {Mounting transducers, e.g. provided with mechanical moving or orienting device (mountings specially adapted to a particular sound-producing device, see the preceding groups G10K1/00 - G10K9/00, e.g. G10K1/26, G10K1/28, G10K9/22; arrangements of sonic watch equipment on submarines B63G8/39; buoys B63B22/00)}
- A61N 2007/0065: {Concave transducers}
- A61N 2007/0078: {with multiple treatment transducers}
- A61N 2007/0095: {by modifying an excitation signal}
- B06B: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, {e.g.} FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL (for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B07B1/40, B23Q17/12, B24B31/06; measurement of mechanical vibrations G01H; in direction finding, locating, distance or velocity measuring G01S; {generating seismic energy G01V1/02}; control of mechanical vibrations in general G05D; sound-producing devices, e.g. bells, sirens, whistles G10K, {e.g. methods or devices for transmitting, conducting, or directing sound in general G10K11/00}; generation of electrical oscillations H03B; electromechanical resonators in general H03H; electromechanical transducers {for communication techniques, e.g. microphones, speakers} H04R)
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)
- G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising a piezoelectric array with a layer of piezoelectric material having a patient-facing front surface and a back surface, the front surface comprising a transmitting surface, and a plurality of electrodes located on the front and back surfaces of the piezoelectric material for applying electrical signals to the piezoelectric array. Electrical connections between an electrode on the back surface to an electrode on the front surface of the piezoelectric array are made through non-magnetic conductive vias extending through the layer of piezoelectric material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising:
a piezoelectric array comprising a layer of piezoelectric material having a patient-facing front surface and a back surface, the front surface comprising a transmitting surface;
a plurality of electrodes located on the front and back surfaces of the piezoelectric material for applying electrical signals to the piezoelectric array; and
a nonmagnetic conductive via, extending through the layer of piezoelectric material and electrically connecting an electrode on the back surface to an electrode on the front surface of the piezoelectric array,
wherein the electrode on the front surface of the piezoelectric array comprises a reference potential electrode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The HIFU transducer of claim 1, wherein the nonmagnetic conductive via further comprises a hole through the layer of piezoelectric material which is filled with conductive epoxy.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The HIFU transducer of claim 2, wherein the conductive epoxy further comprises silver epoxy.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The HIFU transducer of claim 1, wherein the reference potential electrode covers substantially the entire patient-facing front surface of the array.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The HIFU transducer of claim 1, wherein a plurality of electrodes comprising transmission electrodes are located on the back surface of the array,
wherein the transmission electrodes are each surrounded by a reference potential electrode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The HIFU transducer of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of conductive vias electrically coupling reference potential electrodes on the back surface with the reference potential electrode on the front surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The HIFU transducer of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board coupled to provide a reference potential to a reference potential electrode on the back surface of the array.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The HIFU transducer of claim 7, wherein the printed circuit board is further coupled to provide transmit signals to transmission electrodes on the back surface of the array.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The HIFU transducer of claim 1, wherein the layer of piezoelectric material further comprises a composite of ceramic elements embedded in a nonconductive matrix, wherein the via extends through one or more ceramic elements.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The HIFU transducer of claim 1, wherein the conductive via further comprises the only electrical connection to the electrode on the front surface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The HIFU transducer of claim 10, wherein the conductive via further comprises a plurality of conductive vias electrically coupling electrode areas on the back surface with the electrode on the front surface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The HIFU transducer of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric array further comprises a plurality of piezoelectric tiles, each having at least one via electrically coupling an electrode area on the back surface of the tile with an electrode area on the front surface of the tile.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The HIFU transducer of claim 12, further comprising a matching layer having a metallic coating bonded to the front surfaces of the tiles and electrically connecting the electrode areas on the front surfaces of the tiles.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The HIFU transducer of claim 1, comprising a plurality of nonmagnetic conductive vias.

### Claim 15

A high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising:
a piezoelectric array comprising a layer of piezoelectric material having a patient-facing front surface and a back surface, the front surface comprising a transmitting surface;
a plurality of electrodes located on the front and back surfaces of the piezoelectric material for applying electrical signals to the piezoelectric array; and
a nonmagnetic conductive via, extending through the layer of piezoelectric material and electrically connecting an electrode on the back surface to an electrode on the front surface of the piezoelectric array, and
a printed circuit board coupled to provide a reference potential to a reference potential electrode on the back surface of the array.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The HIFU transducer of claim 15, wherein the printed circuit board is further coupled to provide transmit signals to transmission electrodes on the back surface of the array.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The HIFU transducer of claim 15, wherein the conductive via further comprises the only electrical connection to the electrode on the front surface.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The HIFU transducer of claim 17, comprising a plurality of conductive vias electrically coupling electrode areas on the back surface with the electrode on the front surface.