Provided is a method of manufacturing an ultrasound probe. The method includes: preparing a backing layer having first and second surfaces with different heights due to forming a groove in the backing layer, wherein first and second electrodes are exposed on the first and second surfaces, respectively; forming a third electrode that is in contact with the first electrode; forming a base piezoelectric unit on the third electrode, the base piezoelectric unit including a piezoelectric layer; forming a piezoelectric unit by removing an upper region of the base piezoelectric unit; and forming a fourth electrode on the backing layer and the piezoelectric unit.

A printed circuit board includes: insulating layers and wiring layers arranged in stacked configuration; a cavity disposed in a first insulating layer among the insulating layers; a piezoelectric substrate disposed in the cavity; an electrode disposed on the piezoelectric substrate and configured to convert an electrical signal into an elastic wave or to convert an elastic wave into an electrical signal; and a sealing part disposed on the piezoelectric substrate, the sealing part enclosing the electrode and forming an air gap around the electrode.

The present disclosure relates to methods of manufacture of piezoelectric ceramic transducers useable, for example, in an ultrasound probe, using a poling process. The poling is accomplished without contacting transducer elements and by subjecting the piezoelectric ceramic transducer to a corona discharge. The disclosure further describes a system for poling a transducer comprising at least one piezoelectric ceramic component or transducer assembly, a ground plane comprising an electrical polarity, and a corona source connected to a first power source configured to supply a first voltage to the corona source having an electrical polarity opposite the electrical polarity of the ground plane. The at least one piezoelectric ceramic component or transducer assembly is positioned between the corona source and the ground plane within a chamber.

An acoustic wave resonator includes a resonating part disposed on and spaced apart from a substrate by a cavity, the resonating part including a membrane layer, a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode that are sequentially stacked. 0 Mg170 may be satisfied, Mg being a difference between a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness of the membrane layer disposed in the cavity.

The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating an ultrasound transducer. A substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side is provided. A bottom electrode is formed over the first side of the substrate. A piezoelectric element is formed over the bottom electrode. The piezoelectric element has a chamfered sidewall. A top electrode is formed over the piezoelectric element. A step metal element is formed over a portion of the top electrode proximate to the chamfered sidewall of the piezoelectric element.

A rectangular quartz crystal blank having long sides substantially parallel to a Z axis of the quartz crystal blank, and short sides substantially parallel to an X axis of the quartz crystal blank. The quartz crystal blank includes a first center region, a second region and a third region that are adjacent to the first region along a long-side direction, and a fourth region and a fifth region that are adjacent to the first region along a short-side direction. A thickness of the second region and a thickness of the third region are smaller than the thickness of the first region, and/or a thickness of the fourth region and a thickness of the fifth region are smaller than the thickness of the first region, and 16.18W/T16.97, where W is a length of a short side and T is a thickness.

To easily form an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic inspection apparatus capable of sending ultrasonic waves having frequencies equal to or more than 200 MHz. In view of this, an ultrasonic probe includes a stacked piezoelectric element configuring an ultrasonic probe includes a stacked piezoelectric element in which a stacked piezoelectric film disposed between a lower electrode and an upper electrode. The stacked piezoelectric film includes a ZnO film that has spontaneous polarization in a direction substantially perpendicular to the film surface and a SLAIN film that is different from the ZnO and that has spontaneous polarization in the opposite direction to the ZnO, the SLAIN film being directly formed on the ZnO film.

A semiconductor device comprising a passive magnetoelectric transducer structure adapted for generating a charge via mechanical stress caused by a magnetic field. The first transducer structure has a first terminal electrically connectable to the control terminal of an electrical switch, and having a second terminal electrically connectable to the first terminal of the electrical switch for providing a control signal for opening/closing the switch. The switch may be a FET. A passive magnetic switch using a magnetoelectric transducer structure. Use of a passive magnetoelectric transducer structure for opening or closing a switch without the need for an external power supply.

The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating an ultrasound transducer. A substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side is provided. A bottom electrode is formed over the first side of the substrate. A piezoelectric element is formed over the bottom electrode. The piezoelectric element has a chamfered sidewall. A top electrode is formed over the piezoelectric element. A step metal element is formed over a portion of the top electrode proximate to the chamfered sidewall of the piezoelectric element.

A method includes placing a device having a titanium nitride layer into a chamber. The device also has a mask that includes a photoresist material and an aluminum copper hardmask. The method also includes performing an ashing process on the mask using the chamber. The method further includes, after the ashing process, performing an etching process using the chamber to etch through portions of the titanium nitride layer. Performing the etching process includes flowing a gas mixture containing tetrafluoromethane (CF.sub.4) and oxygen gas (O.sub.2) into the chamber at a temperature of at least about 200? C.