Apparatus and method for increasing sensitivity of ultrasound transducers
First Claim
1. An acoustical stack for use within an ultrasound transducer that has a center frequency, comprising:
- a poled piezoelectric material layer comprising poled piezoelectric material having a first acoustic impedance, the poled piezoelectric material layer having top and bottom sides and a first thickness, the acoustical stack having an output electrical impedance based on the first thickness; and
a first impedance matching layer configured to be attached to one of the top and bottom sides of the poled piezoelectric material layer, the first impedance matching layer having a second thickness, the first impedance matching layer formed of a material having an acoustic impedance that is substantially similar to the first acoustic impedance, the poled piezoelectric material layer and the first impedance matching layer forming an acoustic resonance thickness, the center frequency of the transducer based on the acoustic resonance thickness;
a second impedance matching layer configured to be attached to an opposite side of the poled piezoelectric material layer than the first impedance matching layer, wherein the poled piezoelectric material layer and the first and second impedance matching layers having a non-descending acoustic impedance.
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Abstract
An acoustical stack for use within an ultrasound transducer that has a center frequency has a poled piezoelectric material layer and at least one impedance matching layer. The poled piezoelectric material layer has top and bottom sides and is formed of poled piezoelectric material that has a first acoustic impedance. The poled piezoelectric material layer has a first thickness and the acoustical stack has an output electrical impedance based on the first thickness. The impedance matching layers are configured to be attached to the top and bottom sides of the poled piezoelectric material layer and have second or third thicknesses. The impedance matching layers are formed of one or more materials that have an acoustic impedance substantially similar to the first acoustic impedance. The poled piezoelectric layer and impedance matching layers form an acoustic resonance thickness. The center frequency of the transducer is based on the acoustic resonance thickness.
11 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An acoustical stack for use within an ultrasound transducer that has a center frequency, comprising:
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a poled piezoelectric material layer comprising poled piezoelectric material having a first acoustic impedance, the poled piezoelectric material layer having top and bottom sides and a first thickness, the acoustical stack having an output electrical impedance based on the first thickness; and a first impedance matching layer configured to be attached to one of the top and bottom sides of the poled piezoelectric material layer, the first impedance matching layer having a second thickness, the first impedance matching layer formed of a material having an acoustic impedance that is substantially similar to the first acoustic impedance, the poled piezoelectric material layer and the first impedance matching layer forming an acoustic resonance thickness, the center frequency of the transducer based on the acoustic resonance thickness; a second impedance matching layer configured to be attached to an opposite side of the poled piezoelectric material layer than the first impedance matching layer, wherein the poled piezoelectric material layer and the first and second impedance matching layers having a non-descending acoustic impedance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 21, 22)
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6. An acoustical stack for use within an ultrasound transducer that has a center frequency, comprising:
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a poled piezoelectric material layer having top and bottom sides, the poled piezoelectric material layer having a first acoustic impedance and a first thickness, the acoustical stack having an output electrical impedance based on the first thickness; a first impedance matching layer having top and bottom sides, the bottom side of the first impedance matching layer configured to be attached to the top side of the poled piezoelectric material layer, the first impedance matching layer having a second thickness; and a second impedance matching layer having top and bottom sides, the top side of the second impedance layer configured to be attached to the bottom side of the poled piezoelectric material layer, the second impedance matching layer having a third thickness, the first and second impedance matching layers formed of first and second materials that have the first acoustic impedance, the poled piezoelectric material layer and the first and second impedance matching layers forming an acoustic resonance thickness, the center frequency being based on the acoustic resonance thickness, wherein the poled piezoelectric material layer and the first and second impedance matching layers having a non-descending acoustic impedance. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for forming an acoustical stack for a transducer element, comprising:
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defining at least one of a center frequency and a range of operating frequencies associated with an ultrasound transducer; identifying an acoustic resonance thickness based on at least one of the center frequency and the range of operating frequencies; forming a poled piezoelectric layer of a poled piezoelectric material having a first acoustic impedance and a first thickness, the poled piezoelectric material layer having a top and a bottom; and forming at least one impedance matching layer along and joined to one of the top or bottom of the poled piezoelectric material layer, the at least one impedance matching layer formed of a material having substantially the first acoustic impedance and having a second thickness, the first and second thicknesses being combined to form the acoustic resonance thickness. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification