Patent · US Expired

Ultrasonic transducer array and manufacturing method thereof

US5423220A · kind A · utility

167Cited by
13References
38Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 29, 1993
Grant dateJun 13, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 29, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/42
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

An ultrasonic transducer array, and a method for manufacturing it, having a plurality of transducer elements aligned along an array axis in an imaging plane. Each transducer element includes a piezoelectric layer and one or more acoustic matching layers. The piezoelectric layer has a concave front surface overlayed by a front electrode and a rear surface overlayed by a rear electrode. The shape of each transducer element is selected such that it is mechanically focused into the imaging plane. A backing support holds the plurality of transducer elements in a predetermined relationship along the array axis such that each element is mechanically focused in the imaging plane.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.