Interconnection method for a multilayer transducer array
First Claim
1. A method of providing connections to an arrangement of multilayer transducer elements of an ultrasonic transducer array comprising steps of:
- forming electrically conductive material on a substrate in a pattern that includes traces having correspondence to said arrangement of multilayer transducer elements;
removing at least a portion of said substrate while maintaining said pattern of conductive material intact, thereby providing an unsupported region of said pattern in which opposed first and second surfaces of said pattern are exposed; and
capturing at least a portion of said unsupported region between first and second piezoelectric layers of said transducer array such that said first and second surfaces of said pattern respectively contact said first and second piezoelectric layers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing connections to an arrangement of multilayer transducer elements of an ultrasonic transducer array includes patterning an electrically conductive layer on a substrate to define a number of traces and a wide-area continuous region. At least a portion of the substrate is then removed to expose both of the upper and lower surfaces of the wide-area conductive region. The exposed upper and lower surfaces are captured between first and second piezoelectric layers such that the conductive layer electrically contacts both of the piezoelectric layers. The captured wide-area continuous region and at least one of the piezoelectric layers are diced to define the array of transducer elements. The traces that are formed during the patterning step are arranged such that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the traces and the electrodes that are defined by segmenting the wide-area continuous region during the dicing step.
47 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of providing connections to an arrangement of multilayer transducer elements of an ultrasonic transducer array comprising steps of:
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forming electrically conductive material on a substrate in a pattern that includes traces having correspondence to said arrangement of multilayer transducer elements; removing at least a portion of said substrate while maintaining said pattern of conductive material intact, thereby providing an unsupported region of said pattern in which opposed first and second surfaces of said pattern are exposed; and capturing at least a portion of said unsupported region between first and second piezoelectric layers of said transducer array such that said first and second surfaces of said pattern respectively contact said first and second piezoelectric layers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of forming an ultrasonic transducer array having multilayer transducer elements comprising steps of:
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forming a conductive layer on a flexible substrate of dielectric material such that said conductive layer includes a continuous region having longitudinal and transverse dimensions that substantially correspond to longitudinal and transverse dimensions of said transducer array, said conductive layer having traces extending from said continuous region; removing said flexible substrate from contact with said continuous region, thereby exposing opposite sides of said conductive layer; attaching first and second piezoelectric layers to said exposed opposite sides of said conductive layer such that said piezoelectric layers are aligned with and contact said continuous region, thereby forming a laminated structure having said traces extending therefrom; and removing material from said laminated structure to form a plurality of said multilayer transducer elements, including segmenting said continuous region into an array of electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification