An ultrasonic sensor which includes a substrate where an opening section is formed, a vibration plate that is provided on the substrate so as to close the opening section, and a piezoelectric element that is layered on a surface of the vibration plate on an opposite side to the opening section and includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric element, and a second electrode, includes a reflection layer that is provided in a space around the piezoelectric element on the surface of the vibration plate on an opposite side to the opening section, to reflect other ultrasonic waves which are transmitted in a different direction from a transmitted ultrasonic wave transmitted to a measuring target side on an interface between the piezoelectric element and the reflection layer, and has a thickness so as to superimpose other ultrasonic waves on the transmitted ultrasonic wave.

Systems and methods are provided whereby a directional property of an ultrasound transducer element, such as a steering direction, is controlled according to a first driving waveform that is delivered to opposing propagation electrodes and a second driving waveform that is delivered to opposing lateral electrodes. The directional property may be controlled according a phase difference and/or relative amplitude between the first and second driving waveforms, and/or the selective actuation of one or more lateral electrodes when the lateral electrodes are defined in an array. The ultrasound transducer element may be a ring-shaped transducer element and a directional property associated with a focal region may be controlled. In some example embodiments, array elements of an ultrasound transducer array may each include propagation and lateral electrodes, with each array element being driven by respective first and second driving waveforms to focus the ultrasound energy emitted by the ultrasound transducer array.

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.

An improved ultrasound apparatus and methods of use are provided, the apparatus comprising at least one ultrasound transducer electrically connected to another electrical component by a flexible electrical connection. In some embodiments, the other electrical component is a printed circuit board. In some embodiments, the flexible electrical connection may allow vertical, horizontal and/or tilting displacement of the ultrasound transducer with respect to the flexible circuit board while maintaining electrical connectivity. In some embodiments, the flexible electrical connection is capable of temporarily disconnecting when an excessive deformation force is applied and self-reconnecting after the excessive deformation force is removed.

An ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic probe including the same are provided. The ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric layer configured to convert an electric signal and an ultrasound into each other, and a dematching layer having a uniform thickness, the dematching layer being arranged on a partial region of the piezoelectric layer and configured to reflect the second ultrasound wave that is incident on the dematching layer.

An ultrasonic sensor which includes a substrate where an opening section is formed, a vibration plate that is provided on the substrate so as to close the opening section, and a piezoelectric element that is layered on a surface of the vibration plate on an opposite side to the opening section and includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric element, and a second electrode, includes a reflection layer that is provided in a space around the piezoelectric element on the surface of the vibration plate on an opposite side to the opening section, to reflect other ultrasonic waves which are transmitted in a different direction from a transmitted ultrasonic wave transmitted to a measuring target side on an interface between the piezoelectric element and the reflection layer, and has a thickness so as to superimpose other ultrasonic waves on the transmitted ultrasonic wave.

Ultrasonic sensing approaches are described with integrated MEMS-CMOS implementations. Embodiments include ultrasonic sensor arrays for which PMUT structures of individual detector elements are at least partially integrated into the CMOS ASIC wafer. MEMS heating elements are integrated with the PMUT structures by integrating under the PMUT structures in the CMOS wafer and/or over the PMUT structures (e.g., in the protective layer). For example, embodiments can avoid wafer bonding and can reduce other post processing involved with conventional manufacturing of PMUT ultrasonic sensors, while also improving thermal response.

Various methods and systems are provided for fabricating a backing material for an acoustic probe. In one example, the backing material may include an additively manufactured meta-structure formed from layers of a tessellation pattern. A geometry of the tessellation pattern and an alignment of the layers may affect acoustic properties of the backing material.

A PMUT device includes a membrane element adapted to generate and receive ultrasonic waves by oscillating, about an equilibrium position, at a corresponding resonance frequency. A piezoelectric element is located over the membrane element along a first direction and configured to cause the membrane element to oscillate when electric signals are applied to the piezoelectric element, and generate electric signals in response to oscillations of the membrane element. A damper is configured to reduce free oscillations of the membrane element, and the damper includes a damper cavity surrounding the membrane element, and a polymeric member having at least a portion over the damper cavity along the first direction.

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.