Two-dimensional phased array of ultrasonic transducers
First Claim
1. A two-dimensional ultrasonic phased array, comprising a multiplicity of ultrasonic transducers arranged in a rectilinear approximation of a two-dimensional oval aperture with a preselected eccentricity;
- the array arranged with the transducers disposed substantially symmetrical about at least the first axis of the array and also arranged into a plurality 2N of subarrays, each containing at least one transducer, with the subarrays disposed about the first axis with at least one subarrays being juxtaposed to either side of said first axis and with at least one of the subarrays to either side of said first axis having a length, in a first direction substantially parallel to the first axis, different from a length of all other subarrays at an average distance from said first axis greater than the average distance of that at least one subarray;
each of the transducers being separately activateable for at least one of transmission and reception of energy, to facilitate both dynamic scanning and focussing in the first direction and at least one of dynamic focussing and dynamic apodization in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, of a resulting energy beam.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A two-dimensional ultrasonic phase array is a rectilinear approximation to a circular aperture and is formed by a plurality of transducers, arranged substantially symmetrical about both a first (X) axis and a second (Y) axis and in a plurality of subarrays, each extended in a first direction (i.e. parallel to the scan axis X) for the length of a plurality of transducers determined for that subarray, but having a width of a single transducer extending in a second, orthogonal (the out-of-scan-plane, or Y) direction to facilitate dynamic focussing and/or dynamic apodization. Each subarray transducer is formed of a plurality of sheets (part of a 2-2 ceramic composite) all electrically connected in parallel by a transducer electrode applied to juxtaposed first ends of all the sheets in each transducer, while a common electrode connects the remaining ends of all sheets in each single X-coordinate line of the array.
78 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A two-dimensional ultrasonic phased array, comprising a multiplicity of ultrasonic transducers arranged in a rectilinear approximation of a two-dimensional oval aperture with a preselected eccentricity;
- the array arranged with the transducers disposed substantially symmetrical about at least the first axis of the array and also arranged into a plurality 2N of subarrays, each containing at least one transducer, with the subarrays disposed about the first axis with at least one subarrays being juxtaposed to either side of said first axis and with at least one of the subarrays to either side of said first axis having a length, in a first direction substantially parallel to the first axis, different from a length of all other subarrays at an average distance from said first axis greater than the average distance of that at least one subarray;
each of the transducers being separately activateable for at least one of transmission and reception of energy, to facilitate both dynamic scanning and focussing in the first direction and at least one of dynamic focussing and dynamic apodization in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, of a resulting energy beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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11. The array of claim 1, wherein each transducer is formed of a plurality of substantially parallel, but spaced apart, sheets of piezoelectric material, with all the sheets electrically connected in parallel.
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12. The array of claim 11, wherein each sheet is separated from the adjacent sheets by at least one layer of a substantially-acoustically-inert material, in a 2--2 ceramic composite.
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13. The array of claim 12, wherein any pair of adjacent transducers located along a particular row of the array, parallel to the second direction, have a partial kerf cut therebetween and are least partially mechanically joined to one another.
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14. The array of claim 13, wherein the partial kerfs are cut to a height H'"'"' of between about one-half and about three-quarters of the total height H of the piezoelectric ceramic of the transducer.
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15. The array of claim 14, wherein all of the transducers of each array row have a common electrode, formed upon a bottom surface thereof extending in the second direction, and electrically isolated from the common electrodes of all other rows of transducers.
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16. The array of claim 15, wherein each transducer has an individual electrode upon a top surface opposite to said bottom surface.
- the array arranged with the transducers disposed substantially symmetrical about at least the first axis of the array and also arranged into a plurality 2N of subarrays, each containing at least one transducer, with the subarrays disposed about the first axis with at least one subarrays being juxtaposed to either side of said first axis and with at least one of the subarrays to either side of said first axis having a length, in a first direction substantially parallel to the first axis, different from a length of all other subarrays at an average distance from said first axis greater than the average distance of that at least one subarray;
Specification