Patent classifications
B06B1/0692
ANCHOR CONFIGURATIONS FOR AN ARRAY OF ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS
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.
Signal Processing for Segmented Thin-Film Acoustic Imaging Systems for Portable Electronic Devices
An acoustic imaging system coupled to an acoustic medium to define an imaging surface. The acoustic imaging system includes an array of piezoelectric acoustic transducers formed at least in part from a thin-film piezoelectric material, such as PVDF. The array is coupled to the acoustic medium opposite the imaging surface and formed using a thin-film manufacturing process over an application-specific integrated circuit that, in turn, is configured to leverage the array of piezoelectric actuators to generate an image of an object at least partially wetting to the imaging surface.
PIEZOELECTRIC DEVICE WITH PILLAR STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING
A piezoelectric device and method of manufacturing are described. A first substrate is provided with an array of pillars comprising piezoelectric material. A second substrate is provided with a piezoelectric layer facing respective ends of the pillars. The respective ends of the pillars are pushed into the piezoelectric layer, while the piezoelectric layer is at least partially liquid. The piezoelectric layer is solidified to form an integral connection between the piezoelectric layer and the pillars. The piezoelectric layer can thus form a bridging structure between the respective ends of the pillars. The integral piezoelectric structure can be poled by high voltage. The bridging structure can act as a platform for depositing electrical contacts. The piezoelectric device can be used for generating or detecting acoustic waves, e.g. in medical imaging.
IMAGING DEVICES HAVING PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSCEIVERS WITH HARMONIC CHARACTERISTICS
Described are micromachined ultrasonic transducers (MUTs) with convex or concave electrodes, which have enhanced pressure amplitude and frequency response behavior when driven at fundamental and harmonic frequencies, as well as methods of making the same.
Flexible vibration film and display having the same
The present disclosure relates to a flexible vibration film and a display apparatus having the same. A flexible vibration film includes: a vibration layer; a first electrode layer disposed on a bottom surface of the vibration layer; and a second electrode layer disposed on a top surface of the vibration layer, wherein the vibration layer includes: a first vibration unit having a first vibration characteristics; a second vibration unit having a second vibration characteristics; and a flexible insulating part disposed between the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit, and wherein the first electrode layer includes: a first part corresponding to the first vibration unit; and a second part corresponding to the second vibration unit.
ULTRASONIC SENSOR WITH RECEIVE BEAMFORMING
In a method for receive beamforming using an array of ultrasonic transducers, a plurality of array positions comprising pluralities of ultrasonic transducers of the array of ultrasonic transducers is defined. A pixel capture operation is performed at each array position of the plurality of array positions. The pixel capture operation includes transmitting ultrasonic signals using a transmit beam pattern comprising ultrasonic transducers of the array of ultrasonic transducers, the transmit beam pattern for forming an ultrasonic beam toward a region of interest, and receiving reflected ultrasonic signals using a receive beam pattern comprising at least one ultrasonic transducer of the array of ultrasonic transducers. Received reflected ultrasonic signals are combined for a plurality of array positions overlapping the region of interest in a receive beamforming operation to generate a pixel for a reference array position of the plurality of array positions.
PIEZOELECTRIC SENSOR AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREFOR, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE
A piezoelectric sensor, a manufacturing method thereof and an electronic device are provided. The piezoelectric sensor includes a substrate, an active layer, the active layer being disposed at a side of the substrate: a first electrode, the first electrode being disposed at a side of the active laver a wav from the substrate, and the first electrode including a plurality of sub-electrodes disposed at intervals: a piezoelectric layer, the piezoelectric layer being disposed at a side of the first electrode away from the active layer; and a second electrode, the second electrode being disposed at a side of the piezoelectric layer away from the first electrode. The active layer is configured to be capable of switching between an insulating state and a conducting state, and in the conducting state the active layer is capable of conducting the plurality of sub-electrodes.
Ultrasound probe and method of manufacturing ultrasound probe
Provided are an ultrasound probe including high-sensitive piezoelectric elements and a method of manufacturing an ultrasound probe. The ultrasound probe includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements on a backing material arranged in an array along an arrangement direction. Each of the plurality of piezoelectric elements includes a laminate in which a first conductive part, a piezoelectric body part, and a second conductive part are laminated on a surface of the backing material in order. A plurality of acoustic matching part respectively arranged on the second conductive parts of the plurality of piezoelectric elements is provided. A plurality of third conductive parts acquired by respectively joining a part of the plurality of acoustic matching parts in an elevation direction to the second conductive parts of the plurality of piezoelectric elements is provided. A fourth conductive part that electrically connects the plurality of third conductive parts to each other is provided. The second conductive parts of the plurality of piezoelectric elements, the plurality of third conductive parts, and the fourth conductive part form a common electrode common to the plurality of piezoelectric elements.
AUDIO SPEAKER AND PROXIMITY SENSOR WITH PIEZOELECTRIC POLYMER TECHNOLOGY
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.
TACTILE DEVICE
A tactile device includes: a substrate provided with a first surface; an organic piezoelectric film arranged on the first surface side; a plurality of electrodes arranged on the first surface; and a plurality of drive circuits arranged between the substrate and the organic piezoelectric film. The plurality of electrodes includes: a common electrode arranged across a plurality of cells; and a plurality of driving electrodes respectively arranged in the plurality of cells. The plurality of drive circuits includes: a first drive circuit capable of supplying a first driving signal; and a second drive circuit capable of supplying a second driving signal. The plurality of driving electrodes includes: a first driving electrode connected to the first drive circuit; and a second driving electrode connected to the second drive circuit. The first driving electrode and the second driving electrode are arranged in each of the plurality of cells.