Ultrasound transducer and electronic device

• US 8,026,651 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2009
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Kamiya, Yoshitaka, Karaki, Kazuhisa, Adachi, Hideo, Wakabayashi, Katsuhiro, Matsumoto, Kazuya, Hasegawa, Mamoru
• Primary Examiner(s): SAN MARTIN, JAYDI A
• Application Number:
  US12/424,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20090262605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 310/334, 367/181, 600/437, 600/459
• US Class Current: 310/344
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0292 Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type

Abstract

An ultrasound transducer includes a substrate, an ultrasound transducer cell placed on one surface of the substrate and having a lower electrode, a first gap portion placed on the lower electrode and an upper electrode placed on the first gap portion, a first conductive layer placed on the other surface of the substrate and electrically connected to one of the lower electrode and the upper electrode, an electret film placed on the first conductive layer, an insulating layer placed on the electret film, and a second conductive layer placed on the insulating layer and electrically connected to the one of the lower electrode and the upper electrode not electrically connected to the first conductive layer.

Claims

1. An ultrasound transducer comprising:

a substrate;

an ultrasound transducer cell placed on one surface of the substrate and having a lower electrode, a first gap portion placed on the lower electrode and an upper electrode placed on the first gap portion;

a first conductive layer placed on the other surface of the substrate and electrically connected to one of the lower electrode and the upper electrode;

an electret film placed on the first conductive layer;

an insulating layer placed on the electret film; and

a second conductive layer placed on the insulating layer and electrically connected to the one of the lower electrode and the upper electrode not electrically connected to the first conductive layer.

2. The ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer includes a pair of insulating films and a second gap portion interposed between the pair of insulating films.

3. The ultrasound transducer according to claim 2, wherein the substrate has flexibility.

4. The ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, wherein the substrate has flexibility.

5. An electronic device comprising the ultrasound transducer according to claim 1.

6. An ultrasound transducer comprising:

a substrate;

an ultrasound transducer cell placed on one surface of the substrate and having a lower electrode, a first gap portion placed on the lower electrode and an upper electrode placed on the first gap portion;

a first conductive layer placed on the other surface of the substrate and electrically connected to one of the lower electrode and the upper electrode;

an insulating layer placed on the first conductive layer;

an electret film placed on the insulating layer; and

a second conductive layer placed on the electret film and electrically connected to the one of the lower electrode and the upper electrode not electrically connected to the first conductive layer.

7. The ultrasound transducer according to claim 6, wherein the insulating layer includes a pair of insulating films and a second gap portion interposed between the pair of insulating films.

8. The ultrasound transducer according to claim 7, wherein the substrate has flexibility.

9. The ultrasound transducer according to claim 6, wherein the substrate has flexibility.

10. An electronic device comprising the ultrasound transducer according to claim 6.