Ultrasonic device, probe, electronic instrument, diagnostic device, and processing device

• US 10,478,155 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2016
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kano, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hien N
• Application Number:
  US15/045,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20160157821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4411 Device being modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4494 characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements devices for short-range imaging using particular transducer elements arrangements under G01S15/8909; arrangements of transducers in generation of mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic frequency B06B1/0607
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0607 using multiple elements B06B1/064 and B06B1/0688 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0622 on one surface

Abstract

An ultrasonic device includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements, a driving electrode line connected to the piezoelectric elements, a first terminal, and a second terminal. The first terminal is connected to one end of the driving electrode line, and from the first terminal, a first driving signal for driving the piezoelectric elements, which is a voltage having an amplitude, is supplied to the piezoelectric elements. The second terminal is connected to another end of the driving electrode line, and from the second terminal, a second driving signal for driving the piezoelectric elements, which is a voltage having an amplitude, is supplied to the piezoelectric elements.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic device comprising:

a plurality of piezoelectric elements each of which includes a cavity section disposed in a substrate, a membrane covering the cavity section, a first electrode disposed on the membrane, a piezoelectric body disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the piezoelectric body;

a driving electrode line connected to the piezoelectric elements;

a first terminal that is connected to one end of the driving electrode line and from which a first driving signal for driving the piezoelectric elements, which is a voltage having an amplitude, is supplied to the piezoelectric elements; and

a second terminal that is connected to another end of the driving electrode line and from which a second driving signal for driving the piezoelectric elements, which is a voltage having an amplitude, is supplied to the piezoelectric elements; and

a driving signal output circuit configured to output the first and second driving signals to the first and second terminals, respectively,

the driving signal output circuit having an output amplifier, a first variable resistance that is configured to adjust the amplitude of the voltage of the first driving signal and is arranged between the output amplifier and the first terminal, and a second variable resistance that is configured to adjust the amplitude of the voltage of the second driving signal and is disposed between the output amplifier and the second terminal.

2. The ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein

the voltages of the first driving signal and the second driving signal are phase-controlled voltages.

3. The ultrasonic device according to claim 2, wherein

the amplitude of the voltage of the first driving signal is different from the amplitude of the voltage of the second driving signal, while a phase of the voltage of the first driving signal is equal to a phase of the voltage of the second driving signal.

4. The ultrasonic device according to claim 2, wherein

the amplitude of the voltage of the first driving signal is equal to the amplitude of the voltage of the second driving signal, and a phase of the voltage of the first driving signal is equal to a phase of the voltage of the second driving signal.

5. The ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein

the amplitude of the voltage of the first driving signal is different from the amplitude of the voltage of the second driving signal.

6. An ultrasonic probe comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 1.

7. A processing device comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 1.

8. An ultrasonic device comprising:

a plurality of piezoelectric elements each of which includes a cavity section disposed in a substrate, a membrane covering the cavity section, a first electrode disposed on the membrane, a piezoelectric body disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the piezoelectric body;

a driving electrode line connected to the piezoelectric elements, first and second driving signals for driving the piezoelectric elements, each of which is a voltage having an amplitude, being supplied to the piezoelectric elements from first and second ends of the driving electrode line,

a driving signal output circuit configured to output the first and second driving signals to the first and second ends of the driving electrode line, respectively,

the driving signal output circuit having an output amplifier, a first variable resistance that is configured to adjust the amplitude of the voltage of the first driving signal and is arranged between the output amplifier and the first end of the driving electrode line, and a second variable resistance that is configured to adjust the amplitude of the voltage of the second driving signal and is disposed between the output amplifier and the second end of the driving electrode line.

9. The ultrasonic device according to claim 8, wherein

the voltages of the first driving signal and the second driving signal are phase-controlled voltages.

10. The ultrasonic device according to claim 9, wherein

the amplitude of the voltage of the first driving signal is different from the amplitude of the voltage of the second driving signal, while a phase of the voltage of the first driving signal is equal to a phase of the voltage of the second driving signal.

11. The ultrasonic device according to claim 9, wherein

the amplitude of the voltage of the first driving signal is equal to the amplitude of the voltage of the second driving signal, and a phase of the voltage of the first driving signal is equal to a phase of the voltage of the second driving signal.

12. The ultrasonic device according to claim 8, wherein

the amplitude of the voltage of the first driving signal is different from the amplitude of the voltage of the second driving signal.

13. An ultrasonic device comprising:

a piezoelectric element group including a plurality of piezoelectric elements, the piezoelectric elements forming “

N”

columns arranged along a second direction intersecting with a first direction with each of the “

N”

columns including a plurality of the piezoelectric elements arranged along the first direction, “

N”

being a natural number that is equal to or more than 2, each of the piezoelectric elements including a cavity section disposed in a substrate, a membrane covering the cavity section, a first electrode disposed on the membrane, a piezoelectric body disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the piezoelectric body;

a first to an Nth driving electrode lines arranged along the first direction;

a first terminal from which a first driving signal for driving the piezoelectric elements, which is a voltage having an amplitude, is supplied to the piezoelectric elements; and

a second terminal from which a second driving signal for driving the piezoelectric elements, which is a voltage having an amplitude, is supplied to the piezoelectric elements; and

a driving signal output circuit configured to output the first and second driving signals to the first and second terminals, respectively,

an ith driving electrode line among the first to the Nth driving electrode lines being connected to the piezoelectric elements constituting an ith column among the “

N”

columns, with “

i”

being a natural number that is equal to or less than “

N”

, the first terminal being connected to one end of the ith driving electrode line, the second terminal being connected to the other end of the ith driving electrode line,

the driving signal output circuit having an output amplifier, a first variable resistance that is configured to adjust the amplitude of the voltage of the first driving signal and is arranged between the output amplifier and the first terminal, and a second variable resistance that is configured to adjust the amplitude of the voltage of the second driving signal and is disposed between the output amplifier and the second terminal.

14. The ultrasonic device according to claim 13, wherein

the voltages of the first driving signal and the second driving signal are phase-controlled voltages.