A connector for connecting together first and second mechanical waveguides, including a first connector body having a first jaw portion provided with a first aperture for receiving the first mechanical waveguide therein, a second connector body having a second jaw portion provided with a second aperture for receiving the second mechanical waveguide therein, with the first and second connector bodies removably securable together, a first mediating body having an acoustic impedance lower than that of the first mechanical waveguide, with the first mediating body being inserted within the first aperture to be positioned between the first jaw portion and the first mechanical waveguide, and a second mediating body having an acoustic impedance lower than that of the second mechanical waveguide, with the second mediating body inserted within the second aperture to be positioned between the second jaw portion and the second mechanical waveguide.

A connector for connecting together first and second mechanical waveguides, including a first connector body having a first jaw portion provided with a first aperture for receiving the first mechanical waveguide therein, a second connector body having a second jaw portion provided with a second aperture for receiving the second mechanical waveguide therein, with the first and second connector bodies removably securable together, a first mediating body having an acoustic impedance lower than that of the first mechanical waveguide, with the first mediating body being inserted within the first aperture to be positioned between the first jaw portion and the first mechanical waveguide, and a second mediating body having an acoustic impedance lower than that of the second mechanical waveguide, with the second mediating body inserted within the second aperture to be positioned between the second jaw portion and the second mechanical waveguide.

An acoustic matching structure is used to increase the power radiated from a transducing element with a higher impedance into a surrounding acoustic medium with a lower acoustic impedance. The acoustic matching structure consists of a thin, substantially planar cavity bounded by a two end walls and a side wall. The end walls of the cavity are formed by a blocking plate wall and a transducing element wall separated by a short distance (less than one quarter of the wavelength of acoustic waves in the surrounding medium at the operating frequency). The end walls and side wall bound a cavity with diameter approximately equal to half of the wavelength of acoustic waves in the surrounding medium. In operation, a transducing element generates acoustic oscillations in the fluid in the cavity. The transducing element may be an actuator which generates motion of an end wall in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the cavity to excite acoustic oscillations in the fluid in the cavity, and the cavity geometry and resonant amplification increase the amplitude of the resulting pressure oscillation. The cavity side wall or end walls contain at least one aperture positioned away from the center of the cavity to allow pressure waves to propagate into the surrounding acoustic medium.

An imaging device (100) is disclosed comprising an ultrasound transducer array (101, 120, 130) having a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements defining an ultrasound emitting surface of the ultrasound transducer array; and an acoustic window (220) on the ultrasound emitting surface, said acoustic window comprising: a first layer (221) of a hydrocarbon elastomer contacting the ultrasound emitting surface, said first layer further containing an antioxidant; and a second layer (223) of a further hydrocarbon elastomer on the first layer, said second layer having a greater Shore A hardness than the first layer. Also disclosed are an ultrasound imaging system (10) comprising such an imaging device, such as catheter (100), and a method (300) of forming an acoustic window (220) on an ultrasound transducer array (101, 120, 130) for such a device (100).

An imaging device (100) is disclosed comprising an ultrasound transducer array (101, 120, 130) having a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements defining an ultrasound emitting surface of the ultrasound transducer array; and an acoustic window (220) on the ultrasound emitting surface, said acoustic window comprising: a first layer (221) of a hydrocarbon elastomer contacting the ultrasound emitting surface, said first layer further containing an antioxidant; and a second layer (223) of a further hydrocarbon elastomer on the first layer, said second layer having a greater Shore A hardness than the first layer. Also disclosed are an ultrasound imaging system (10) comprising such an imaging device, such as catheter (100), and a method (300) of forming an acoustic window (220) on an ultrasound transducer array (101, 120, 130) for such a device (100).

A dual frequency ultrasound transducer includes a high frequency ultrasound array and a low frequency transducer positioned behind or proximal to the high frequency ultrasound array. In one embodiment, a dampening material is positioned between a rear surface of the high frequency array and the a front surface of the low frequency array. The dampening preferably is high absorbing of signals at the frequency of the high frequency array but passes signals at the frequency of the low frequency transducer with little attenuation. In additional, or alternatively, the low frequency can angled with respect to the plane of the high frequency transducer to reduce inter-stack multipath reflections. Beamforming delays compensate for the differences in physical distances between the elements of the low frequency transducer and the plane of the high frequency transducer.

A dual frequency ultrasound transducer includes a high frequency ultrasound array and a low frequency transducer positioned behind or proximal to the high frequency ultrasound array. In one embodiment, a dampening material is positioned between a rear surface of the high frequency array and the a front surface of the low frequency array. The dampening preferably is high absorbing of signals at the frequency of the high frequency array but passes signals at the frequency of the low frequency transducer with little attenuation. In additional, or alternatively, the low frequency can angled with respect to the plane of the high frequency transducer to reduce inter-stack multipath reflections. Beamforming delays compensate for the differences in physical distances between the elements of the low frequency transducer and the plane of the high frequency transducer.

A method of designing an acoustic waveguide in which acoustic waves travelling along the waveguide are treated as exhibiting single parameter behaviour, and in which the waveguide provides a boundary confining the acoustic waves as they travel along the wave propagation path and has two substantially parallel, primary surfaces spaced apart a distance less than a wavelength of a high frequency acoustic wave. The primary surfaces may be planar, curved, or a combination of planar portions and curved portions.

Disclosed herein is a transparent ultrasonic sensor including a matching unit configured to perform optical impedance matching and formed of a transparent material, a piezoelectric layer positioned behind the matching unit and formed of a transparent material, a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer positioned on a rear surface and a front surface of the piezoelectric layer, respectively, the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer being formed of a transparent conductive material, a first housing connected to the first electrode layer, and a second housing connected to the second electrode layer.

Disclosed herein is a transparent ultrasonic sensor including a matching unit configured to perform optical impedance matching and formed of a transparent material, a piezoelectric layer positioned behind the matching unit and formed of a transparent material, a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer positioned on a rear surface and a front surface of the piezoelectric layer, respectively, the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer being formed of a transparent conductive material, a first housing connected to the first electrode layer, and a second housing connected to the second electrode layer.