Fabrication of front surface matched ultrasonic transducer array
First Claim
1. The method of assembling a front surface matched ultrasonic transducer array operative to generate ultrasound pulses at an emission frequency and to detect echoes comprising the steps of:
- plating with metal at least the major surfaces and two side edges of a rectangular slab of piezoelectric ceramic having a thickness of one-half wavelength at the emission frequency, and bonding to the plated ceramic at least one impedance matching layer having a thickness of one-quarter wavelength at the emission frequency,cutting slots in the plated ceramic near the side edges such that the distance between slots is equal to a designated element radiative length,making first cuts parallel to the end edges of the plated ceramic at a spacing equal to a designated element width and which extend completely through the ceramic and partially into the matching layer to thereby delineate an array of elements each having a signal electrode and a wrap-around ground electrode,fabricating a flying lead connection to the signal electrode of every element and a common connection to the ground electrodes,making second cuts through the remainder of the matching layer which are aligned with the first cuts to completely separate the bonded together element and matching layer units, andattaching a continuous covering to the front surface of the matching layer.
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Abstract
A slab of piezoelectric ceramic plated on all surfaces is bonded to quarter wavelength impedance matching layers of glass and plastic. The top surface of the ceramic is slotted and parallel cuts orthogonal to the slots are made through the ceramic and into the glass to delineate an array of elements each with a signal electrode between slots and a wrap-around ground electrode. After making ground connections and flying lead connections to the signal electrodes, the matching layers are fully cut through from the front. A covering or wear plate is attached to the front surface and a relatively large mass of acoustic damping material covers the backs of the elements.
140 Citations
12 Claims
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1. The method of assembling a front surface matched ultrasonic transducer array operative to generate ultrasound pulses at an emission frequency and to detect echoes comprising the steps of:
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plating with metal at least the major surfaces and two side edges of a rectangular slab of piezoelectric ceramic having a thickness of one-half wavelength at the emission frequency, and bonding to the plated ceramic at least one impedance matching layer having a thickness of one-quarter wavelength at the emission frequency, cutting slots in the plated ceramic near the side edges such that the distance between slots is equal to a designated element radiative length, making first cuts parallel to the end edges of the plated ceramic at a spacing equal to a designated element width and which extend completely through the ceramic and partially into the matching layer to thereby delineate an array of elements each having a signal electrode and a wrap-around ground electrode, fabricating a flying lead connection to the signal electrode of every element and a common connection to the ground electrodes, making second cuts through the remainder of the matching layer which are aligned with the first cuts to completely separate the bonded together element and matching layer units, and attaching a continuous covering to the front surface of the matching layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. The method of assembling a front matched surface ultrasonic transducer array operative to generate ultrasound pulses at an emission frequency and to detect echoes comprising the steps of:
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plating with metal all the surfaces of a rectangular slab of piezoelectric ceramic having a thickness of one half wavelength at the emission frequency, and bonding to the plated ceramic and to one another first and second impedance matching layers each having a thickness of one-quarter wavelength at the emission frequency, cutting two slots in the plated ceramic parallel to the side edges such that the distance between slots is equal to a designated element radiative length, making first cuts parallel to the end edges of the plated ceramic at a spacing equal to a designated element width and which extend completely through the ceramic and partially into one matching layer to thereby delineate a separate signal electrode on each element and a wrap-around ground electrode on each element, bonding a ground plane printed circuit board to the first matching layer and depositing conductive filler material to electrically connect every ground electrode and a common bus conductive pattern on the ground plane board, supporting a signal printed circuit board on said ground plane board so as to project over the elements from both sides and providing a flying lead electrical connection between every signal electrode and conductive patterns on the signal board and also a ground wire connecting the ground plane board conductive pattern to a signal board conductive pattern, making second cuts through the matching layers which are aligned with the first cuts to completely separate the bonded together element and matching layer units, and attaching a continuous covering to the front surface of the matching layers. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification