The present disclosure provides an ultrasonic sensor, a method for driving the same, and a method for manufacturing the same. The ultrasonic sensor includes a back plate, a sounding structure on the back plate and a backing layer on a side of the sounding structure distal to the back plate; the sounding structure includes a plurality of emitting electrodes, an opposite electrode, a piezoelectric layer and a plurality of signal leads, and the plurality of emitting electrodes and the opposite electrode are respectively arranged on two sides of the piezoelectric layer; and the plurality of emitting electrodes are arranged in an array, and each of the emitting electrodes is individually coupled to one of the signal leads. The ultrasonic sensor may achieve an independent control for each patterned electrode such that the ultrasonic sensor may be used as a point sound source.

An ultrasonic transducer device including a substrate, an edge support structure connected to the substrate, and a membrane connected to the edge support structure such that a cavity is defined between the membrane and the substrate, the membrane configured to allow movement at ultrasonic frequencies. The membrane includes a structural layer, a piezoelectric layer having a first surface and a second surface, a first electrode placed on the first surface of the piezoelectric layer, wherein the first electrode is located at the center of the membrane, a second electrode placed on the first surface of the piezoelectric layer, wherein the second electrode is a patterned electrode comprising more than one electrode components that are electrically coupled, and a third electrode coupled to the second surface of the piezoelectric layer and electrically coupled to ground.

An ultrasonic transducer array including a substrate, a membrane overlying the substrate, the membrane configured to allow movement at ultrasonic frequencies, and a plurality of anchors connected to the substrate and connected to the membrane. The membrane includes a piezoelectric layer, a plurality of first electrodes, and a plurality of second electrodes, wherein each ultrasonic transducer of a plurality of ultrasonic transducers includes at least a first electrode and at least a second electrode. The plurality of anchors includes a first anchor including a first electrical connection for electrically coupling at least one first electrode to control circuitry and a second anchor including a second electrical connection for electrically coupling at least one second electrode. The ultrasonic transducer array could be either a two-dimensional array or a one-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers.

A mobile device includes one or more piezoelectric polymer layers underlying a display. The one or more piezoelectric polymer layers may be electrically driven to operate in either a d33 stretching mode or a d31 bending mode. The mobile device functions as an ultrasonic sensor in the d33 stretching mode and as an audio speaker/microphone or a proximity sensor in the d31 bending mode. The piezoelectric polymer layer operating in the d31 bending mode may be directly mechanically coupled to a display, indirectly mechanically coupled to the display and underlying an ultrasonic sensor stack, or integrated in the ultrasonic sensor stack. Signal performance of the piezoelectric polymer layer operating in the d31 bending mode may be enhanced or modulated by having a larger area, multiple layers, bi-pole or uni-pole driving with multiple layers, one or more stiff adhesives, a spacer layer, one or more mass features, a thin TFT layer, a thick piezoelectric polymer layer, or combinations thereof.

A tactile sensation presenting element includes: a vibrator layer; and a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer located so as to oppose each other with the vibrator layer interposed therebetween. At least one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer includes a plurality of electrodes that are electrically independent of one another. The vibrator layer includes a plurality of unit regions, in each of which occurrence of vibration can be independently controlled. The tactile sensation presenting element further includes a plurality of protrusions located opposite to the vibrator layer relative to the first electrode layer.

An automatic analyzer is capable of agitating a sample and a reagent by using ultrasonic waves having stable sound pressure, regardless of a characteristic variation of a piezoelectric element. The automatic analyzer agitates a sample and a reagent by using ultrasonic waves generated by driving a piezoelectric element. An amplifier configured to drive the piezoelectric element includes a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage applied to the piezoelectric element, and a current detection unit that detects a current flowing through the piezoelectric element. A calculation unit is configured to calculate effective electrical power based on a detected voltage and a detected current and determine an adjustment signal using the calculated effective electrical power and a predetermined target electrical power. An impedance matching circuit is configured to adjust output electrical power of the amplifier by changing a reactance component based on the adjustment signal determined by the calculation unit.

An ultrasound includes: an acoustic matching portion disposed on a plurality of piezoelectric elements; and a conductive member disposed on the plurality of piezoelectric elements and adjacent to the acoustic matching portion, in which the conductive member includes a conductor layer having a multi-layer structure, which is disposed on at least one end side of the acoustic matching portion in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the conductor layer having a multi-layer structure includes a plurality of first conductor layers respectively bonded to the second conductive portions of the piezoelectric elements, and a second conductor layer laminated on the plurality of first conductor layers and electrically connects the plurality of first conductor layers, and a ratio of a thickness to a width, which is a length in the first direction, of the first conductor layer is 1.6 or less.

A method for producing a plurality of piezoelectric ultrasound transducer elements, the method comprising providing or depositing a piezoelectric material on at least part of a surface of a sheet of substrate to form a layered member; and forming the one or more piezoelectric ultrasound transducer elements from the layered member.

An imaging device includes a two dimensional array of piezoelectric elements. Each piezoelectric element includes: a piezoelectric layer; a bottom electrode disposed on a bottom side of the piezoelectric layer and configured to receive a transmit signal during a transmit mode and develop an electrical charge during a receive mode; and a first top electrode disposed on a top side of the piezoelectric layer; and a first conductor, wherein the first top electrodes of a portion of the piezoelectric elements in a first column of the two dimensional array are electrically coupled to the first conductor.

An acoustic transducer array and method of making same. A first metal layer is deposited on a first side of a piezoelectric composite to form a common electrode and a second metal layer is provided over the obverse side. Portions of the second metal layer are removed to create a plurality of individual electrodes. A third metal layer may be deposited onto the plurality of individual electrodes, the third metal layer being thicker than the second metal layer. The individual electrodes extend beyond the piezoelectric composite in the elevation direction to create electrode leads. Metal layers may be provided by lithography, a wireframe or a foil sheet.