ULTRASONIC DEVICE, ULTRASONIC PROBE, ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, AND ULTRASONIC IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20140208853A1
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: ONISHI, Yasunori
• Granted Patent: US 9,409,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/606
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0622 on one surface
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 3/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for transmitting mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/0654 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/30 using refraction, e.g. acoustic lenses

Abstract

Provided is an ultrasonic device including: an ultrasonic element array substrate having a plurality of ultrasonic elements that each include a piezoelectric body; an acoustic lens secured via an acoustic matching layer to a surface, formed with the ultrasonic elements, of the ultrasonic element array substrate; and a support member secured to a surface, opposite to the surface formed with the ultrasonic elements, of the ultrasonic element array substrate, wherein the support member is formed to have a larger area, in plan view in the thickness direction of the ultrasonic element array substrate, and a higher bending stiffness than the ultrasonic element array substrate, and the acoustic lens is formed to have a lower bending stiffness than the ultrasonic element array substrate. The above-described ultrasonic device further includes an acoustic matching layer filled between the ultrasonic element array substrate and the acoustic lens.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic device comprising:

an ultrasonic element array substrate having a plurality of ultrasonic elements that each include a piezoelectric body and perform at least one of transmission and reception of ultrasound;

an acoustic lens secured via an acoustic matching layer to a surface, formed with the ultrasonic elements, of the ultrasonic element array substrate, the acoustic lens having a lens portion that focuses the ultrasound; and

a support member secured to a surface, opposite to the surface formed with the ultrasonic elements, of the ultrasonic element array substrate, wherein

the support member is formed to have a larger area, in plan view in the thickness direction of the ultrasonic element array substrate, and a higher bending stiffness than the ultrasonic element array substrate, and

the acoustic lens is formed to have a lower bending stiffness than the ultrasonic element array substrate.

2. The ultrasonic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an acoustic matching layer filled between the ultrasonic element array substrate and the acoustic lens, wherein

the acoustic matching layer is formed of a resin secured to the ultrasonic element array substrate and the acoustic lens.

3. The ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein

the acoustic lens has a plurality of first projections in contact with the ultrasonic element array substrate.

4. The ultrasonic device according to claim 3, wherein

the first projections are provided in a peripheral portion of the acoustic lens in the plan view.

5. The ultrasonic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a flexible printed circuit board connected to the surface, formed with the ultrasonic elements, of the ultrasonic element array substrate, wherein

the flexible printed circuit board is electrically connected to the ultrasonic element array substrate, and

a part of the flexible printed circuit board is secured to the support member.

6. The ultrasonic device according to claim 5, wherein

the support member includes an angled portion provided at a part of its outer edge, and

the flexible printed circuit board is secured to the angled portion.

7. The ultrasonic device according to claim 5, wherein

the acoustic lens has a plurality of the second projections, in contact with the flexible printed circuit board, pressing the flexible printed circuit board against the ultrasonic element array substrate.

8. The ultrasonic device according to claim 7, wherein

the flexible printed circuit board is electrically connected with the ultrasonic element array substrate at a position between the second projections of the acoustic lens and the ultrasonic elements, in plan view in the thickness direction of the ultrasonic element array substrate.

9. The ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein

the ultrasonic element array substrate includes:

a base substrate provided with a plurality of openings arranged in an array;

a vibrating membrane formed to cover the openings, the vibrating membrane being displaceable in the film thickness direction; and

a piezoelectric body provided on the vibrating membrane, and

the piezoelectric body includes;

a first electrode provided on the vibrating membrane;

a piezoelectric layer provided to cover at least part of the first electrode; and

a second electrode provided to cover at least part of the piezoelectric layer.

10. An ultrasonic probe comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 1; and

a housing supporting the ultrasonic device.

11. An ultrasonic probe comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 3; and

a housing supporting the ultrasonic device.

12. An ultrasonic probe comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 5; and

a housing supporting the ultrasonic device.

13. An ultrasonic probe comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 7; and

a housing supporting the ultrasonic device.

14. Electronic equipment comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 1; and

a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device.

15. Electronic equipment comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 3; and

a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device.

16. Electronic equipment comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 5; and

a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device.

17. Electronic equipment comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 7; and

a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device.

18. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 1;

a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device so as to generate an image; and

a display that displays the image.

19. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 3;

a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device so as to generate an image; and

a display that displays the image.

20. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:

the ultrasonic device according to claim 5;

a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device so as to generate an image; and

a display that displays the image.