Ultrasonic transducer array with apodized elevation focus
US5511550A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 22, 1995 |
| Grant date | Apr 30, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 22, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB06B1/0622
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An ultrasonic transducer array having a plurality of transducer elements aligned along an array axis in an imaging plane. Each transducer element includes a piezoelectric substrate and further includes a rear electrode applied to the substrate's rear surface and a patterned front electrode applied to the substrate's front surface. A conductive or metalized acoustic matching layer overlays the patterned front electrode. The front electrode is specially patterned along an elevation axis perpendicular to the imaging plane, so as to apodize the emitted ultrasonic beam in the elevation plane. The pattern follows a predetermined tapered weighting function, preferably one that approximates a Hamming weighting function. Slots, oriented parallel with the array axis, are cut into the piezoelectric substrate's front surface, to form a plurality of subelements. This further isolates these portions of the piezoelectric substrate not overlaid by the patterned front electrode, thereby enhancing beam apodization.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.