PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCERS USING MICRO-DOME ARRAYS
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer device includes a transducer array consisting of an array of vibrating elements, and a base to which the array of vibrating elements in the transducer array are attached. The base include integrated electrical interconnects for carrying driving signals and sensed signals between the vibrating elements and an external control circuit. The base can be an ASIC wafer that includes integrated circuitry for controlling the driving and processing the sensed signals. The interconnects and control circuits in the base fit substantially within an area below the array of multiple vibrating elements.
-
Citations
57 Claims
-
1-35. -35. (canceled)
-
36. A device for generating pressure waves in an external medium, comprising:
-
a handle portion having a first distal end; and a transducer portion attached to the handle portion in proximity to the first distal end of the handle portion, the transducer portion comprising a support structure having a plurality of apertures; a plurality of transducer elements, the plurality of transducer elements sharing a common reference electrode, each transducer element comprising a respective drive electrode and a respective piezoelectric element disposed between the respective drive electrode and the common reference electrode, wherein each transducer element has an outer surface positioned to receive or generate pressure waves in the external medium, and wherein the drive electrode, the common reference electrode, and the piezoelectric element of each transducer element each include a respective flexible portion and a respective stationary portion connected to the respective flexible portion, wherein the flexible portions of the drive electrode, reference electrode, and piezoelectric element of the plurality of transducer elements are suspended over the apertures in the support structure and are curved in a first direction relative to the aperture in the absence of an applied voltage between the drive electrode and the reference electrode and in the absence of an applied force that increases mechanical stress on the flexible portion, and wherein the flexible portions of the reference electrode, drive electrode, and piezoelectric element deflect in response to a driving voltage applied between the drive electrode and the reference electrode. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
-
Specification