Piezocomposite ultrasound array and integrated circuit assembly with improved thermal expansion and acoustical crosstalk characteristics
US6776762B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 13, 2002 |
| Grant date | Aug 17, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 23, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/42
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An integrated piezoelectric ultrasound array structure configured to minimize the effects of differential thermal expansion between the array and the integrated circuit and to improve the mechanical and acoustical integrity of the array. The transducer array may have an interposed thinned supporting substrate and is matched to the integrated circuit substrate for thermal expansion so as to retain mechanical integrity of the array/IC bond within the working temperature range. Transducer elements are laterally isolated acoustically and as to thermal expansion by air or other acoustically attenuating medium of lower elastic modulus material between the elements. Acoustical effects are vertically acoustically isolated with capacitive coupling and small area solder bumps relative to wavelength, and further laterally acoustically isolated by thin supporting substrates relative to wavelength, including thinned semiconductor integrated circuit substrates.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.