A method of forming an ultrasonic transducer comprises coupling a front polymer layer of uniform thickness to a piezoelectric element. A front metal layer is coupled to the polymer layer on a side of the front polymer layer opposite the piezoelectric element for transmitting acoustic energy between the front polymer layer and a propagation medium. The front polymer layer and the front metal layer define a front acoustic impedance converter, wherein the front polymer layer completely isolates the piezoelectric element from the front metal layer.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods for improving performance of ultrasonic transducers, particularly those used in borehole environments, are provided. The disclosed ultrasonic transducers all feature a backing element that is a ceramic backing material. The ceramic backing material may include a solid piece of ceramic material that is disposed on a back end of a piezoelectric element used in the ultrasonic transducer. The disclosed ceramic backing material may be used to mechanically match the backing element to the piezoelectric source element, while minimizing the amplitude of reflections of the ultrasonic pulse generated by the piezoelectric element and reflected at the far end of the backing element. This ceramic backing material may provide consistent performance regardless of the surrounding pressure and temperature, making it particularly useful in borehole applications.

For direct chip-on-array for a multi-dimensional transducer array, the generally rigid and conductive dematching layer is extended beyond a footprint of the transducer array. The ASIC is directly connected to the dematching layer on one side, while the other side provides for electrical connection to the elements of the array and I/O pads for connections (e.g., flex-to-dematching layer) to the ultrasound imaging system. By using the dematching layer rigidity, the ASIC may be protected during formation of the acoustic stack. By using the dematching layer conductivity, any mis-alignment is compensated by the routing through the dematching layer, and/or a large flat region is provided for I/O, allowing for good low temperature asperity contact connections with larger area than flip-chip solder bumps. By providing the I/O for the system connections on a different side of the dematching layer than the ASIC, a large keep-out distance due to underfill may be avoided.

An ultrasonic transducer for a measuring instrument includes a housing container with a support plate and a piezoelectric element that is supported by the support plate and has a substantially circular shape. The piezoelectric element includes multiple substantially sector-shaped oscillation parts that are divided by multiple grooves that communicate with each other at the central part and extend radially. The piezoelectric element oscillates in the thickness direction A3 in the first frequency band and in the radial direction A4 in the second frequency band, which is lower than the first frequency band. The ultrasonic transducer is capable of expanding the frequency band suitable for transmitting and receiving ultrasound.

A conformable piezoelectric transducer array for performing ultrasound or the like includes a silicone elastomer substrate and a silicone elastomer superstrate. A plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements are disposed between the substrate and superstrate. A first electrical interconnect layer electrically interconnects a first surface of the transducer elements adjacent to the substrate and a second electrical interconnect layer electrically interconnecting a second surface of the transducer elements adjacent to the superstrate.

The present disclosure relates to a sonar device (1) for detection of underwater objects. The sonar device comprises a body element (2) having a cavity. A piezo electric element (3) is comprised within the cavity. A resin filling (6) of the cavity protects the piezo electric element (3) from water at underwater operation. The sonar device further comprises a holder (4) adapted to hold the piezo electric element (3). The holder (4) is arranged to centre and hold the piezo electric element (3) within said body element (2). The holder (4) comprises in its structure a plurality of damping structures (5). A method of manufacturing holder and a sonar device is also disclosed.

An ultrasonic probe includes: a piezoelectric element that is used for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves; a signal electrode that is disposed at a rear surface side of the piezoelectric element; and a backing that is disposed at a rear surface side of the signal electrode, wherein the backing has a thermal resistance of 8 K/W or less, and the backing attenuates an ultrasonic wave with the lowest frequency by 10 dB or more, among frequencies at which transmittance and reception sensitivity of the ultrasonic probe is decreased from the maximum value thereof by 20 dB.

A fluid impermeable transducer includes an assembly of a transducer head and a casing, and an actuator disposed in the casing rearward of the back of the transducer head and operable to transmit acoustic energy through the transducer head. The transducer head and casing define a working portion of the transducer that is fluid impermeable.

The teachings of the present disclosure enable the manufacture of one or more piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs) having a resonant frequency of a specific target value and/or substantially matched resonant frequencies. In accordance with the present disclosure, a flexible membrane of a PMUT is modified to impart a desired parameter profile for stiffness and/or mass to tune its resonant frequency to a target value. The desired parameter profile is achieved by locally removing or adding material to regions of one or more layers of the flexible membrane to alter its geometric dimensions and/or density. In some embodiments, material is added or removed non-uniformly across the structural layer to realize a material distribution that more strongly affects membrane stiffness than mass. In some embodiments, material having a specific residual stress is added to, and/or removed from, the membrane to define a desired modal stiffness for the membrane.

A backing member includes: a resin body including a lower surface and an upper surface opposite to each other; a plurality of leads each of which extends in a first direction from the lower surface toward the upper surface, and that are embedded at pitches in the resin body; and a plurality of insulating spacers each of which is provided between adjacent ones of the leads and extends in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and that contact the leads.