Multilayer ultrasonic transducer array including very thin layer of transducer elements
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An ultrasonic transducer array comprising:
- a. at least one layer of PZT having a thickness of less than 50 microns; and
b. an electrical conductor assembly attached to said at least one layer of PZT.
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Abstract
An ultrasonic transducer array having a plurality of transducer elements, at least some of which have multiple piezoelectric and electrode layers. The resonant frequency of the transducer elements may range from 500 kHz to 300 MHz or more. A single array may have transducer elements of different resonant frequencies, and the array may be sparsely populated. Highest frequencies are typically obtained when the piezoelectric layers are made from vapor deposited PZT in accordance with a disclosed deposition process. The array may have a 1-D configuration, 1.5-D or 2-D, configuration. The array may be positioned in a probe.
296 Citations
54 Claims
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1. An ultrasonic transducer array comprising:
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a. at least one layer of PZT having a thickness of less than 50 microns; and b. an electrical conductor assembly attached to said at least one layer of PZT. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 20)
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4. An ultrasonic transducer array comprising:
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a. a plurality of piezoelectric layers; b. a plurality of electrode layers interposed between said plurality of piezoelectric layers; and c. wherein said ultrasonic transducer array is capable of operating at resonant frequencies in excess of 5 MHz with an electrical impedance of less than 100 Ohms. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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12. An ultrasonic transducer array comprising:
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a. a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements, each having; i. a plurality of piezoelectric layers; ii. a plurality of first electrodes, each contacting at least one of said plurality of piezoelectric layers; iii. a plurality of second electrodes, each contacting at least one of said plurality of piezoelectric layers; b. a connector structure having; i. a plurality of first connectors attached to said plurality of first electrodes; ii. a plurality of second connectors attached to said plurality of second electrodes; and c. wherein at least some of said ultrasonic transducer elements contact one of said first connectors and two of said second connectors. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An ultrasonic transducer array comprising:
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a. a plurality of adjacent ultrasonic transducer elements, each element having; i. a plurality of piezoelectric layers; ii. a plurality of electrode layers; b. a connector structure having a plurality of connectors connected to said plurality of electrode layers; and c. wherein at least two of said ultrasonic transducer elements are separated only by one of said connectors. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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21. An ultrasonic transducer array comprising:
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a. a plurality of first ultrasonic transducer elements having a first resonant frequency, each element having two or more piezoelectric layers, and a first electrode assembly attached to said two or more piezoelectric layers; b. a plurality of second ultrasonic transducer elements having a second resonant frequency, each element having two or more piezoelectric layers, and a second electrode assembly attached to said two or more piezoelectric layers; and c. wherein said first and second resonant frequencies are different, and said plurality of first ultrasonic transducer elements are acoustically isolated from said plurality of second ultrasonic transducer elements. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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27. An ultrasonic transducer array comprising:
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a. N×
M transducer element regions, wherein N is the number of said regions as measured in a first direction and M is the number of said regions as measured in a second direction;b. a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements, each having one or more piezoelectric layers and an electrode assembly connected to said one or more piezoelectric layers; and c. wherein X(N×
M) of said transducer element regions contain one of said plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements, and X<
1. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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- 35. An ultrasonic transducer array comprising a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements, at least one of said elements having a resonant frequency greater than 10 MHz and three or more piezoelectric layers, said elements being arranged in a 1-D configuration, further wherein one or more of said elements has a length to width aspect ratio such that the length dimension is no more than five times the width dimension.
- 38. An ultrasonic transducer array having a plurality of multilayer transducer elements, each having height, width and length dimensions, wherein at least one of said width and length dimensions is less than 50 microns.
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44. A method of making an ultrasonic transducer array comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a first electrode; and b. vapor depositing a first PZT layer on said first electrode, said first PZT layer having a thickness of more than 5 microns. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method of depositing PZT material comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a substrate; b. vapor depositing PZT on said substrate at a rate of at least 0.5 microns per hour. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of depositing PZT material comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a substrate; b. vapor depositing PZT on said substrate to thickness of more than 5 microns. - View Dependent Claims (54)
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Specification