Operation of patterned ultrasonic transducers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A transducer array comprising:
- at least one unitary piece of piezoelectric material having first and second opposing surfaces; and
a conductive layer on each of said first and second opposing surfaces, wherein at least one of said conductive layers is divided up into a plurality of electrode elements, and wherein said electrode elements, independently, are adapted to receive excitation energy of at least one of a predetermined amplitude and phase.
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Abstract
There is provided a transducer array comprising at least one unitary piece of piezoelectric material having first and second opposing surfaces; and a conductive layer on each of said first and second opposing surfaces, wherein at least one of said conductive layers is divided up into a plurality of electrode elements, and wherein said electrode elements, independently, are adapted to receive excitation energy of at least one of a predetermined amplitude and phase.
98 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A transducer array comprising:
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at least one unitary piece of piezoelectric material having first and second opposing surfaces; and a conductive layer on each of said first and second opposing surfaces, wherein at least one of said conductive layers is divided up into a plurality of electrode elements, and wherein said electrode elements, independently, are adapted to receive excitation energy of at least one of a predetermined amplitude and phase. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A transducer array comprising:
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at least one unitary element of piezoelectric material operative as a plurality of individual transducer segments by virtue of a plurality of electrode elements, said plurality of electrode elements being formed as a segmented conductive layer on at least one surface of said at least one unitary element of piezoelectric material, each segment of said conductive layer defining an individual transducer segment; and driving circuitry for supplying high frequency voltages to at least some of said electrode elements, such that said individual transducer segments associated with said at least some electrode elements emit ultrasound energy, wherein said driving circuitry varies at least one of an amplitude and a phase of said high frequency voltages applied to different ones of said at least some electrode elements, so as to affect propagation of said emitted ultrasound energy. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of generating ultrasound energy, comprising:
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providing at least one unitary element of piezoelectric material having conductive layers on its first and second surfaces, at least one of said conductive layers being a segmented layer comprising a plurality of electrode elements, each of said electrode elements defining a segmental transducer; exciting at least some of said electrode elements with high frequency voltages such that their associated segmental transducers emit ultrasound energy; and varying at least one of the amplitude and phase of said high frequency voltages applied to different ones of at least some of said electrode elements, so as to influence a propagation of said ultrasound energy emitted from said transducer array. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of generating ultrasound energy, comprising:
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providing at least one unitary element of piezoelectric material operative as a plurality of individual transducer segments by exciting a plurality of electrode elements, said plurality of electrode elements being formed as a segmented conductive layer on a surface of said at least one unitary element of piezoelectric material, each segment of said conductive layer defining an individual transducer segment; applying high frequency voltages to at least some of said electrode elements, such that said individual transducer segments associated with said at least some electrode elements emit ultrasound energy; and varying at least one of the amplitude and phase of said high frequency voltages applied to different ones of said at least some electrode elements so as to affect a propagation of said emitted ultrasound energy. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method of moving ultrasound energy through a target volume, comprising:
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providing at least one unitary element of piezoelectric material having conductive layers on its surfaces, at least one of said conductive layers being a segmented layer comprising a plurality of electrode elements, each of said electrode elements defining a segmental transducer; positioning said at least one unitary element of piezoelectric material in proximity to said target area; exciting at least some of said electrode elements with high frequency voltages such that their associated segmental transducer emit ultrasound energy; and varying the phase of said high frequency voltages applied to different ones of at least some of said electrode elements such that said ultrasound moves through said target volume.
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Specification