Ultrasound transducer with improved acoustic performance
10 claims: 1 independent, 9 dependent
- 1音響素子のアレイを有する音響層(146)と、 該音響層(146)に結合されており該音響層の音響インピーダンスよりも高い音響インピーダンスを有するデマッチング層(152)と、 該デマッチング層(152)に結合されており、複数のビア(166)を有する非導電性の基材(158)及び前記複数のビア(166)に配置された導電性経路を備える複数の伝導性素子(160)を含んでいる介在層(154)であって、前記デマッチング層(152)の前記音響インピーダンスよりも低い音響インピーダンスを有する介在層(154)と、 該介在層(154)に結合されており前記デマッチング層(152)及び前記介在層(154)を通して前記音響素子のアレイ(146)に電気的に接続されている集積回路(156)と を備え、前記導電性経路(160)は、前記複数のビア(166)の各々を通して延在している導電性の金属相互接続(196)と、各々の金属相互接続(196)を覆って前記複数のビア(166)の各々の残部に充填された非導電性充填材料(198)とを含んでいる、 超音波トランスデューサ(106)。
- 2前記音響層(146)の上面に配設された第1のマッチング層(148)と、前記第1のマッチング層(148)の上面に配設された第二のマッチング層(150)と、前記第二のマッチング層(150)の底面に配置された導電性薄膜(151)と、を含んでいる、請求項1に記載の超音波トランスデューサ(106)。
- 3前記基材(158)及び前記導電性経路(160)の各々が、約10MRayl未満の音響インピーダンスを有している、請求項1または2に記載の超音波トランスデューサ(106)。
- 4前記導電性経路(160)は、前記複数のビア(166)の各々に充填された銀エポキシ(182)を含んでいる、請求項1乃至3のいずれかに記載の超音波トランスデューサ(106)。
- 5前記非導電性充填材料(198)は、非導電性エポキシ(198)である、請求項1乃至4のいずれかに記載の超音波トランスデューサ(106)。
- 6前記介在層(154)は、前記基材(158)に埋め込まれて複数の穿孔(178)を形成されて有する金属芯材(176)をさらに含んでおり、 前記複数のビア(166)は、前記複数の穿孔(178)の少なくとも一部を通して延在している、請求項1乃至5のいずれかに記載の超音波トランスデューサ(106)。
- 7前記介在層(154)は、 前記集積回路(156)を前記音響素子のアレイ(146)に電気的に接続するように構成されており、前記複数のビア(166)を形成されて有する第一の接続領域(252)と、 信号入出力接続、電力及び制御接続、並びに接地及び二重電力接続の少なくとも一つを含むシステム接続に前記集積回路(156)を電気的に接続するように構成されている第二の接続領域(254)とを含んでいる、請求項1乃至5のいずれかに記載の超音波トランスデューサ(106)。
- 8前記第二の接続領域(254)は、パッド接続、トレース接続、エポキシ充填単層ビア、及びエポキシ充填貫通ビアの少なくとも一つを含んでいる、請求項7に記載の超音波トランスデューサ(106)。
- 9前記基材(158)に形成された前記複数のビア(166)のピッチが、前記音響素子のアレイ(146)のピッチに合致している、請求項1乃至8のいずれかに記載の超音波トランスデューサ(106)。
- 10前記介在層(154)の反対側で前記集積回路(156)の背面に結合された損失性バッキング層(163)をさらに含んでいる請求項1乃至9のいずれかに記載の超音波トランスデューサ(106)。
Independent claims10
52 paragraphs, as filed
The present invention generally relates to ultrasonic transducers, and more specifically to methods and devices for improving the acoustic performance of ultrasonic transducers by reducing internal artifacts in the sonic spectrum.
Ultrasound transducers (ie, ultrasonic probes) are applied in medical imaging, where an acoustic probe is pressed against a patient and the probe sends and receives ultrasonic waves. The received energy can then facilitate the imaging of the patient's body tissue. For example, a transducer can be used to image the patient's heart. It is increasingly desirable to minimize the dimensions of ultrasonic transducers in order to enable their use in internal devices such as transesophageal examination devices, laparoscopic examination devices, intracardiac examination devices and the like. Such applications are very demanding and require a transducer package that is extremely small yet capable of collecting large amounts of information.
<p num="0003"> Ultrasonic transducers typically have a large number of acoustic laminates arranged in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional (2D) array. Each acoustic laminate corresponds to an element inside the transducer, and the transducer may have a large number of acoustic laminates inside, such as thousands arranged in a 2D array. In order to minimize the space and electrical capacitance occupied by the ultrasonic transducer having a 2D acoustic array, it is preferable to directly couple the acoustic element to the electronic circuit required for transmission / reception beamforming. A simple way to attach a 2D acoustic array element to the associated beamforming electronics is to directly bond these two components using conventional methods such as solder balls, gold stud bumps and plating posts. .. However, in this connection method, the sound wave energy from the array propagates to the inside of the electronic circuit, and an artifact is generated inside the sound wave spectrum, which ultimately deteriorates the image quality of the medical diagnostic image. That is, the electronic components are typically manufactured using silicon wafers and therefore have relatively low acoustic attenuation. Therefore, when an acoustic array (such as a 2D array) is attached directly to the silicon substrate, some of the sound wave energy generated during transmission propagates into the silicon substrate. This sonic energy echoes within the silicon substrate with minimal loss and can be attributed back to the acoustic array, leading to long ring-down artifacts and other acoustic artifacts. These artifacts reduce the quality of acoustic images, such as those useful for medical diagnostic imaging.</p><p num="0004"> Acoustic artifacts can be reduced by placing a high acoustic impedance layer (ie, a "dematching layer") between the acoustic array and the silicon electronics. When such a dematching layer is used on the back side of an acoustic array, these artifacts are significantly reduced by changing the impedance of the back layer of the dematching layer (ie, the beamforming electronics) and thus increasing the impedance difference. It is well known to let them do it. However, the high impedance dematching layer itself does not reduce these artifacts sufficiently to provide the desired image quality. That is, even if the dematching layer is attached to silicon (such as the silicon substrate of a beamforming electronic circuit), the silicon itself has a considerably high acoustic impedance and low acoustic loss, so the ability of the dematching layer to reduce acoustic artifacts is relative. Not noticeable. Thus, an improved acoustic structure is needed to provide optimal acoustic imaging.</p><p num="0005"> Therefore, it is desirable to design an ultrasonic transducer with improved acoustic performance that reduces acoustic artifacts. Furthermore, it is desirable to keep the minimum dimensions so that the ultrasonic transducer can be used as an internal ultrasonic probe.</p>
<p num="0006"> The present invention relates to methods and devices for improving the acoustic performance of ultrasonic transducers by reducing internal artifacts in the sound spectrum. The device includes an interposer layer that couples an array of transducer elements into a beamforming electronic circuit package.</p><p num="0007"> According to one aspect of the present invention, the ultrasonic transducer is dematched with an acoustic layer having an array of acoustic elements and a dematching layer coupled to the acoustic layer and having an acoustic impedance higher than the acoustic impedance of the acoustic layer. It is coupled to a layer and includes a base material and an intervening layer containing a plurality of conductive elements, and the intervening layer has an acoustic impedance lower than the acoustic impedance of the dematching layer. The ultrasonic transducer also includes an integrated circuit that is coupled to an intervening layer and is electrically connected to an array of acoustic elements through the dematching layer and the intervening layer.</p><p num="0008"> According to another aspect of the present invention, the method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer includes a step of providing an intervening layer, a step of forming a plurality of vias in the intervening layer, and a step of adding a conductive material inside the intervening layer. The dematching layer has an acoustic impedance higher than the acoustic impedance of the acoustic layer and higher than the acoustic impedance of the intervening layer. The method also includes the step of coupling the intervening layer to the dematching layer and the step of coupling the beamforming electronic circuit package to the intervening layer, in which the beamforming electronic circuit package is formed with a plurality of connection pads. It has and is electrically coupled to the acoustic layer via an intervening layer.</p><p num="0009"> According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the ultrasonic transducer configured for the invasive probe is coupled to an acoustic layer having an array of acoustic elements and an acoustic layer, which is higher than the acoustic impedance of the acoustic layer. It includes a dematching layer having acoustic impedance and a beam forming electronic circuit having a plurality of connection pads formed so as to send a signal to the acoustic layer and receive a signal from the acoustic layer. The ultrasonic transducer also includes an intervening layer coupled to the dematching layer, which is also non-conductive with a plurality of vias formed having an acoustic impedance lower than the acoustic impedance of the dematching layer. A first connection region, which is configured to electrically connect a sex substrate and a beam forming electronic circuit to an acoustic layer and has a plurality of conductive paths extending through a plurality of vias, and a beam forming electronic circuit. Includes a second connection area configured to electrically connect to a system connection that includes at least one of a signal input / output connection, a power and control connection, and a ground and dual power connection.</p><p num="0010"> Various other features and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description and drawings below.</p>
The drawings show preferred embodiments currently conceivable for carrying out the present invention.<figref num="1">It is a block diagram of an ultrasonic system.</figref><figref num="2">It is a figure of the small ultrasonic system which has a transducer which can be configured to acquire ultrasonic data by one Embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="3">It is a perspective view of an example of the embodiment of the transducer assembly for the ultrasonic system of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.</figref><figref num="4">It is sectional drawing of the interposition layer of a transducer assembly from the viewpoint by one Embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="5">FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an intervening layer of a transducer assembly in terms of another embodiment of the present invention.</figref><figref num="6">FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an intervening layer of a transducer assembly in terms of another embodiment of the present invention.</figref><figref num="7">It is a series of schematic cross-sectional views showing the stepwise formation of a transducer assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.</figref><figref num="8">FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a transducer assembly, an intervening layer and a beamforming electronic circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.</figref>
FIG. 1 shows an ultrasonic system 100 including a transmitter 102 that drives an array of elements 104 (ie, transducer elements) inside an ultrasonic transducer 106 to emit a pulsed ultrasonic signal into the body. Each of the elements 104 corresponds to an acoustic laminate (shown in FIG. 3). The elements 104 may be arranged, for example, in one or two dimensions. A variety of geometric configurations can be used. Each ultrasonic transducer 106 has a predetermined central operating frequency and bandwidth. The ultrasonic signal is backscattered from the structure of the body such as adipose tissue or muscle tissue to generate an echo, and the echo is returned to the element 104. The echo is received by the receiver 108. The received echo passes through the beamforming electronic circuit 110, and the beamforming electronic circuit 110 executes beamforming and outputs an RF signal. The RF signal then passes through the RF processor 112. Alternatively, the RF processor 112 may include a complex demodulator (not shown) that demodulates the RF signal to form an IQ data pair that represents the echo signal. Then, the RF signal data or the IQ signal data can be directly sent to the memory 114 and stored.
The ultrasonic system 100 also includes a processor module 116 that processes the acquired ultrasonic information (eg, RF signal data or IQ data pair) to create a frame of ultrasonic information for display on the display 118. Includes. The processor module 116 is configured to perform one or more processing operations on the acquired ultrasonic information depending on a plurality of selectable ultrasonic modalities. The acquired ultrasonic information can be processed and displayed in real time during the scanning session as the echo signal is received. In addition, or optionally, the ultrasonic information may be temporarily stored in memory 114 during the scanning session and then processed and displayed as an offline operation.
The processor module 116 is connected to a user interface 124 that can control the operation of the processor module 116, as described in more detail below. Display 118 includes one or more monitors that present patient information, including diagnostic ultrasound information, provided to the user for diagnosis and analysis. One or both of the memory 114 and the memory 122 can store a three-dimensional (3D) data set of ultrasonic data and access the 3D data set to present a 2D image and a 3D image. Further, a large number of continuous three-dimensional data sets can be acquired and stored over time, and a real-time 3D display, a 4D display, or the like can be provided. These images can be modified using the user interface 124 and the display settings of the display 118 can be adjusted manually.
FIG. 2 shows a 3D capable small ultrasound system 130 with a transducer 132 that can be configured to acquire 3D ultrasound data. For example, as described above for the ultrasonic transducer 106 in FIG. 1, the transducer 132 may have a 2D array of transducer elements 104. A user interface 134 (which may also include an integrated display 136) is provided to receive commands from the operator. The term "small" as used herein means that the ultrasonic system 130 is a hand-held or hand-carry device, or is carried in a human hand, pocket, briefcase-sized bag or backpack. It means that it is configured as. For example, the ultrasonic system 130 may be a hand-carry device having dimensions of a typical laptop computer, such as about 2.5 inches thick, about 14 inches wide and about 12 inches high. The ultrasonic system 130 may weigh about 10 pounds and is therefore easily portable by the operator. In addition, an integrated display 136 (for example, an internal display) is provided and is configured to display a medical image.
The ultrasonic data may be transmitted to the external device 138 via a wired or wireless network 140 (or, for example, a direct connection via a serial cable, parallel cable or USB port). In some embodiments, the external device 138 may be a computer or workstation with a display. Alternatively, the external device 138 can receive image data from the hand-carry ultrasound system 130 and can display or print an image that may have higher resolution than the integrated display. It may be a separate external display or printer.
As another example, the ultrasonic system 130 may be a 3D-compatible pocket-sized ultrasonic system. By way of example, a pocket-sized ultrasound system may be about 2 inches wide, about 4 inches long, and about 0.5 inches thick and weigh less than about 3 ounces. A pocket-sized ultrasound system may include an indicator, a user interface (ie, a keyboard), and input / output (I / O) ports for connection with transducers (all not shown). It should be noted that various embodiments can be embodied in connection with small ultrasonic systems having different dimensions, weights and power consumptions.
With reference to FIG. 3, a perspective view of an example embodiment of the transducer assembly 142 incorporated in the ultrasonic transducer 106 (FIG. 1) and / or the transducer 132 (FIG. 2) is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention. ing. Transducer assembly 142 is shown to include an array 144 of transducer elements that are formed in a desired element spacing or spacing of pitch 145 and are formed as an acoustic laminate containing a plurality of layers. Each transducer element 144 includes an acoustic layer 146 or an acoustic element, and an array of acoustic elements is provided in the transducer assembly 142. The acoustic layer 146 has a first surface and a second surface, and the second surface is located on the back surface of the first surface. In one embodiment, the first surface may include a top surface and the second surface may include a bottom surface.
As can be seen, the acoustic layer 146 generates sonic energy to send waves into the patient's body (not shown), receives backscattered acoustic signals from the patient, and creates and displays an image. Can be configured. The acoustic layer 146 may include electrodes (not shown) on the top and bottom surfaces, as is known in the art. The acoustic layer 146 may be made of a piezoelectric ceramic such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), a piezoelectric composite, a piezoelectric single crystal or a piezoelectric polymer. It may be noted that in some embodiments, the acoustic layer 146 may include multiple layers of the material described above. More specifically, in one embodiment, the acoustic layer 146 may include multiple layers of the same material, and in another embodiment, the acoustic layer 146 may include multiple layers of different materials.
As shown in FIG. 3, each transducer element 144 may include at least one matching layer disposed on the first surface of the acoustic layer 146. It may be noted that at least one matching layer may be configured to have an acoustic impedance lower than the acoustic impedance of the acoustic layer 146. For example, the acoustic impedance of at least one matching layer may be in the range of about 2 MRayl to about 15 MRayl, and the acoustic impedance of the acoustic layer 146 may be in the range of about 3 MRayl to about 35 MRayl.
In one embodiment, the first matching layer 148 has top and bottom surfaces of the layer itself and may be disposed on the first surface of the acoustic layer 146. As can be seen, the first matching layer 148 can be configured to facilitate matching of impedance differences that may exist between a high impedance transducer element and, for example, a low impedance patient. In the currently conceivable configurations, the first matching layer 148 may include filled epoxy, metal impregnated graphite, or glass ceramics.
In the currently conceived configuration, each transducer element 144 may also include a second matching layer 150 having a top surface and a bottom surface and disposed on the top surface of the first matching layer 148. As noted for the first matching layer 148, the second matching layer 150 is also configured to facilitate matching of possible impedance differences between the high impedance transducer element and the low impedance patient. obtain. Also, as described above with respect to the first matching layer 148, in the currently conceivable configurations, the second matching layer 150 may include unfilled epoxies or plastics such as polysulfone or polystyrene. Although the first and second matching layers 148, 150 are shown to be included in the transducer element 144, it is acknowledged that a smaller number or more matching layers may be used. As such, a single matching layer can be used, or third and fourth matching layers can be added to the first and second matching layers.
According to one embodiment, the first matching layer 148 is made of a conductive material. The second matching layer 150 is constructed as a layer continuous with the first matching layer 148, and includes a conductive thin film 151 on the bottom surface of the layer. Thus, the continuous second matching layer 150 (and the conductive thin film 151) provides an electrical ground connection to each of the transducer elements 144. According to another embodiment, it is recognized that the first matching layer is non-conductive, has a conductive layer formed on the bottom surface of the layer, and can thus be formed as a continuous layer. .. Further, according to an example of the embodiment, a surface finishing material (not shown) such as silicone or polyurethane is placed on the upper surface of the second matching layer 150 to form a transducer assembly 142 to be used with the patient. It is recognized that it can be done.
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, each transducer element 144 may include a dematching layer 152 disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the acoustic layer 146. The dematching layer 152 is arranged on the bottom surface of the acoustic layer 146 and is coupled to the acoustic layer 146. The dematching layer 152 can be constructed using a material having an impedance substantially higher than the acoustic impedance of the acoustic layer 146. For example, the acoustic impedance of the acoustic layer 146 may be in the range of about 3 MRayl to about 35 MRayl, and the acoustic impedance of the dematching layer 152 may be in the range of about 60 MRayl to about 100 MRayl, preferably higher than about 70 MRayl. In some embodiments, the high impedance material can be made of tungsten carbide, but it is acknowledged that tungsten, tantalum, or other material with similar acoustic impedance may be used. The dematching layer 152 acts as an acoustic impedance transducer and significantly increases the effective acoustic impedance that appears (or is experienced by the rear surface) of the acoustic layer 146 to a value substantially higher than the impedance of the acoustic layer 146. As a result, most of the sound wave energy is reflected from the front surface of the acoustic layer 146.
An intervening layer 154 is coupled to the bottom surface of the dematching layer 152 (and the bottom surface of the acoustic laminate 144), which is included in the transducer assembly 142 of the ultrasonic transducer 106 (FIG. 1) for beamforming. It is configured to act by coupling the acoustic layer of each transducer element 144 to an integrated circuit 156 (ie, a "beamforming electronic circuit") configured to perform. The intervening layer 154 is made of a material with low acoustic impedance. The combination of the intervening layer 154 and the integrated circuit 156 acts as an acoustic load applied to the back surface of the dematching layer 152. The dematching layer 152 acts as an acoustic impedance converter, thereby giving the converted impedance of the acoustic load to the back surface of the acoustic layer element 146. In the absence of the intervening layer, the acoustic impedance given to the back surface of the acoustic layer is lower than in the presence of the intervening layer. By including the low acoustic impedance intervening layer 154, the acoustic element reflects more sonic energy from the anterior surface of the acoustic layer 146, thereby reducing the acoustic artifacts of the transducer assembly 142. Placing an intervening layer 154 formed of a low acoustic impedance material between the dematching layer 152 and the beamforming electronic circuit 156 significantly increases the effective acoustic impedance of the beamforming electronic circuit 156, which results in the acoustic layer 146. Reflects most of the sonic energy from the front / top surface of the transducer assembly 142 to reduce the presence of acoustic artifacts.
According to an example of the embodiment, the intervening layer 154 is formed of a non-conductive organic substrate 158 having an acoustic impedance of less than about 10 MRayl, preferably less than 5 M Rayl. The organic substrate 158 may be composed of a polyimide such as Kapton® polyimide. Further, the intervening layer 154 includes a plurality of conductive elements 160 extending through the base material 158, and is electrically connected between the beamforming electronic circuit 156 and the dematching layer 152 (and continuously up to the acoustic layer 146). Establish a connection or route. As shown in FIG. 3, the spacing or pitch of the conductive elements 160 is such that an electrical connection is formed between the interconnect pad 161 on the beamforming electronic circuit 156 and each transducer element 144. It has become.
If the intervening layer 154 is thin, it may not provide sufficient loss to eliminate the capture of the ultrasonic waves in the dematching layer 152 and / or the beamforming electronic circuit 156, which later leaks to the acoustic layer 146. It is recognized that it is possible to return to. Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a lossy backing layer 163 is added to the back surface of the beamforming electronic circuit 156. In a preferred embodiment, the lossy backing layer 163 is formed of a scatterer, such as a mixture of a lossy polymer such as epoxy or PVC with heavy metal powder. When formed of these (or similar) materials, the backing layer 163 has an acoustic impedance less than or equal to the acoustic impedance of the beamforming electronic circuit 156. The high attenuation / high scattering properties of the lossy backing layer 163 help prevent ultrasonic waves from leaking back to the acoustic layer 146 after being captured by the dematching layer 152 and / or the beamforming electronics circuit 156. Thus, the lossy backing layer 163 acts to further reduce the artifacts inside the sound spectrum.
The thickness of each of the acoustic layer 146, the first matching layer 148, the second matching layer 150, the dematching layer 152, and the intervening layer 154 is determined and selected according to the application requiring the utilization of the transducer assembly 142. It can be noted that it can be done. More specifically, various applications of the transducer assembly 142 may require a wide range of operating frequencies. Therefore, the thickness of each of the constituent layers 146, 148, 150, 152, 154 of the transducer assembly 142 can be determined based on applications that require the use of the transducer assembly 142. According to one embodiment, the thickness of layers 146, 148, 150, 152, 154 is scaled based on a "specific frequency", ie, a transducer assembly 142 that normally operates at a center frequency. According to another embodiment, the thickness of layers 146, 148, 150, 152, 154 is scaled differently based on the use of the transducer assembly 142 at several different frequencies. That is, in harmonics in which the acoustic layer 146 transmits at one frequency and receives at different frequencies, the thicknesses of the dematching layer 152 and the matching layers 148 and 150 are selected to optimize these transmission / reception actions. Will be done.
Here, referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, a more detailed view of the intervening layer 154 is shown according to each embodiment of the present invention. It has been acknowledged that the conductive element 160 of the intervening layer 154 can take several forms to provide an electrical connection or path between the beamforming electronic circuit 156 and the dematching layer 152 (and subsequently to the acoustic layer 146). Be done. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the conductive element 160 is in the form of a conductive filling material having a low acoustic impedance such as silver epoxy. According to another embodiment of the invention, the conductive element is a conductive interconnect, such as a thin layer of plated copper with a thickness of 1 micron to 10 microns used in combination with a low impedance non-conductive epoxy. It is recognized that it may be in the form of.
FIG. 4 shows an intervening layer 162 used with the transducer assembly 142 of FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The intervening layer 162 is shown as being formed of a single layer of non-conductive organic substrate 164. The substrate 164 may be made of, for example, Kapton® polyimide and has an acoustic impedance of less than about 10 MRayl, preferably less than 5 MRayl. The base material 164 forms and includes a plurality of vias 166 configured as penetrating vias extending from the front surface to the back surface of the base material. According to the embodiment of FIG. 4, the vias 166 are formed on the substrate 164 so as to have the same spacing or pitch as the transducer elements 144 (and acoustic layer 146) of the transducer assembly 142 as shown in FIG. ..
Each of the vias 166 is filled with a conductive filling material 168 that provides an electrical connection or path through the intervening layer 162. According to an example of an embodiment of the present invention, the filling material 168 has an acoustic impedance similar to the acoustic impedance of the base material 164. For example, the filling material 168 contained inside the via 166 may be a silver epoxy having an acoustic impedance of about 3 MRayl. A plurality of connection pads 170 are arranged on the upper surface and the lower surface of the intervening layer 162 at positions corresponding to each of the vias 166. Thus, the filling material 168 and the connection pad 170 are electrically connected / routed between each of the interconnect pads 161 of the beamforming electronic circuit 156 and the transducer elements 144 of the transducer assembly 142, as shown in FIG. Is provided.
With reference to FIG. 5, a more detailed view of the intervening layer 172 used with the transducer array 142 of FIG. 3 according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The intervening layer 172 is shown to be formed of a single layer of non-conductive organic substrate 174. The substrate 174 may be made of, for example, polyimide and has an acoustic impedance of less than about 10 MRayl, preferably less than 5 MRayl. A metal sheet 176 having a plurality of perforations 178 formed therein is embedded in the base material 174. A plurality of vias 180 are formed on the base material 174, and are configured as penetrating vias extending from the upper surface to the back surface of the base material through the perforations 178 of the metal sheet 176. According to the embodiment of FIG. 5, the via 180 is formed on the substrate 174 so as to have the same spacing or pitch as the transducer element 144 (and acoustic layer 146) of the transducer assembly 142 as shown in FIG. There is. As such, the via 180 may be formed through each of the perforations 178 of the metal sheet 176 or only part of the perforations, depending on the pitch of the perforations of the metal sheet. Advantageously, the metal sheet 176 reduces the amount of thermal expansion in the x and y directions that the intervening layer 172 suffers from as compared to the intervening layer formed solely of the organic material substrate. According to an example of the embodiment, the metal sheet constitutes less than 25% of the total intervening layer structure.
As further shown in FIG. 5, each of the vias 180 is filled with a conductive filling material 182 that provides an electrical connection or path through the intervening layer 172. According to an example of an embodiment of the present invention, the filling material 182 has an acoustic impedance similar to the acoustic impedance of the base material 174. For example, the filling material 182 contained inside the via 180 may be a silver epoxy having an acoustic impedance of about 3M Rayl. A plurality of connection pads 184 are arranged on the upper surface and the lower surface of the intervening layer 172 at positions corresponding to each of the vias 180. Thus, the filling material 182 and the connection pad 184 are electrically connected / routed between each of the interconnect pads 161 of the beamforming electronic circuit 156 and the transducer elements 144 of the transducer assembly 142, as shown in FIG. Is provided.
With reference to FIG. 6, a more detailed view of the intervening layer 186 used with the transducer array 142 of FIG. 3 according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The intervening layer 186 is shown as being formed as a multi-layer structure with multiple layers of separate substrates 188, 190, 192. The intervening layer 186 is shown to include three base layers, a bottom layer 188, an intermediate layer 190 and an uppermost layer 192, but it is speculated that more or less layers may be embodied. Each of the substrate layers 188, 190, and 192 is formed of a non-conductive organic substrate having a low acoustic impedance (for example, less than 10 MRayl, preferably less than 5 MRayl) such as polyimide. Each of the substrate layers 188, 190, and 192 forms and contains a plurality of vias 180 extending from the front surface of the layer to the back surface of the layer. According to the embodiment of FIG. 6, the pitches of the vias 194 formed in each of the substrate layers 188, 190, and 192 are different from each other, and the transducer element 144 (and the acoustic element 146) having the first pitch (FIG. 6). 3) and the intervening layer 186 can be connected to the interconnect pad 161 of the beamforming electronic circuit 156 (FIG. 3) having a second pitch different from the first pitch.
As shown in FIG. 6, the via 194 formed on the bottom substrate layer 188 has a first pitch that matches the pitch of the interconnect pad 161 of the beamforming electronic circuit 156. According to an example of an embodiment of the present invention, each of the vias 166 of the bottom substrate layer 188 has a metal interconnect 196 formed. The metal interconnect 196 is formed of a thin layer of conductive material such as copper (eg, 1 micron to 10 micron thick), where each interconnect is substantially consistent with vias and the top surface of the substrate layer 188. It is engraved so that it extends to. Each of the vias 194 of the bottom substrate layer 188 is also filled with a low impedance non-conductive filling material 198, which is deposited on a metal interconnect extending into the interior of the vias to form a base. It forms a via structure with an acoustic impedance (eg, about 3 MRayl) that is substantially similar to the material layer. A plurality of connection pads 170 are arranged on the bottom surface of the bottom surface base material layer 188 at positions corresponding to each of the vias 194.
The vias 194 are also formed in the intermediate base material layer 190, and the vias of the intermediate base material layer have a second pitch different from the pitch of the vias of the bottom base material layer 188. The via 194 of the intermediate base material layer 190 is formed at a position where it overlaps / intersects with the metal interconnection 196 of the bottom layer via, and is electrically connected between the bottom base material layer 188 and the intermediate base material layer 190. Is allowed to be formed. Like the bottom substrate layer 188, each of the vias 194 of the intermediate substrate layer 190 also has metal interconnects 196 formed and the metal interconnects extend downward through the vias and also of the substrate layer 190. It extends to the top surface. Each of the vias 194 of the intermediate substrate layer 190 is filled with a non-conductive filling material 198, and the filling material is deposited on a metal interconnect extending downward to the inside of the via to and the substrate layer. It forms a via structure with substantially similar acoustic impedance.
The vias 194 are also formed in the uppermost base material layer 192, and the vias of the uppermost base material layer have a third pitch different from the pitches of the vias of the bottom base material layer and the intermediate base material layers 188 and 190. The via 194 of the uppermost base material layer 192 is formed at a position where it overlaps / intersects with the metal interconnection 196 of the intermediate layer via, and is electrically connected between the intermediate base material layer 190 and the uppermost base material layer 192. Is allowed to be formed. The pitch of the via 194 of the top substrate layer 192 also matches the pitch of the transducer element 144 (and the acoustic element 146). Each of the vias 194 of the top substrate layer 192 also has a metal interconnect 196 formed and the metal interconnect extends downward through the vias and also extends to the top surface of the top substrate layer 192. The connection pad can be formed extending to the surface facing the outside of the uppermost base material layer. Each of the vias 194 of the top substrate layer 192 is filled with a non-conductive filling material 198, and the filling material is deposited on a metal interconnect extending downward to the inside of the via to form a substrate layer. It forms a via structure with substantially similar acoustic impedance. A plurality of connection pads 170 are arranged on the upper surface of the uppermost base material layer 192 at positions corresponding to each of the vias 194.
The connection pad on the bottom substrate layer 188 is different from the connection pad of the top substrate layer 192 because the multilayer substrate of the intervening layer 186 allows the connection pad 170 to be rerouted on the surface facing the outside. Has a pitch. As described above, the intervening layer 186 enables the connection of the transducer element 144 having the first pitch to the beamforming electronic circuit 156 having the interconnection pad at a second pitch different from the first pitch.
In each of the embodiments of FIGS. 4-6, the conductive element / path formed in the intervening layer may take the form of a conductive or non-conductive epoxy used in conjunction with the conductive interconnect of thin metals. Is recognized. Thus, the particular form of the conductive element in each of the embodiments of FIGS. 4-6 can be replaced by an alternative form of the conductive element. For example, the conductive epoxy described in the embodiment of FIG. 4 can be replaced with a non-conductive epoxy used in conjunction with the conductive interconnect of thin metals, similar substitutions of the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6. It can also be done for each.
With reference to FIG. 7, a stepwise structure made in an exemplary step 200 of manufacturing an exemplary transducer assembly, such as the transducer assembly 142 shown in FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention, is shown. ing. The process is started from step 202 of providing the intervening layer 204. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the intervening layer 204 is shown to be formed from the single layer base material 204, but it is recognized that a multilayer base material can also be provided according to the embodiment of FIG. The intervening layer base material 206 is a non-conductive organic base material that can be formed of, for example, polyimide, and has an acoustic impedance of less than about 10 MRayl, preferably less than 5 MRayl. A plurality of vias 208 are formed on the base material, and these vias are configured as penetrating vias extending from the front surface to the back surface of the base material 206. According to the embodiment of FIG. 7, the via 208 is a substrate such that it has the same spacing or pitch as the transducer element 144 (and acoustic layer 146) of the transducer assembly 142 (FIG. 3), as described below. Formed at 206. Each of the vias 208 is filled with a conductive filling material 210 that provides an electrical connection or path through the intervening layer 204. According to an example of an embodiment of the present invention, the filling material 210 has an acoustic impedance similar to the acoustic impedance of the base material 206. For example, the filling material 210 contained inside the via 208 may be a silver epoxy having an acoustic impedance of about 3 MRayl. A plurality of connecting pads 212 are then added at positions corresponding to each of the vias 208 on the top and bottom surfaces of the intervening layer 206.
Following the formation of the intervening layer 204, an exemplary transducer assembly such as the transducer assembly 142 (see FIG. 3) is formed in step 214. An acoustic layer 216 having an upper surface and a lower surface is provided. Electrodes (not shown) can be sputtered and / or plated on the top and bottom surfaces of the acoustic layer 216. As can be seen, the electrodes may have different physical configurations, especially for ground and signal electrodes. In one embodiment, the electrodes may include a wrap configuration. The acoustic layer 216 can be configured to have a thickness in the range of about 50 microns to about 600 microns.
A first matching layer 218 having a top surface and a bottom surface may be disposed on the top surface of the acoustic layer 216. The first matching layer 218 can be configured to have a thickness in the range of about 40 microns to about 300 microns. Subsequently, a second matching layer 220 having an upper surface and a lower surface may be disposed on the upper surface of the first matching layer 218. As described with respect to the first matching layer 218, the second matching layer 220 may be configured to have a thickness in the range of about 30 microns to about 250 microns. The first and second matching layers 218, 220 may be configured to facilitate matching of possible impedance differences between the high impedance acoustic layer 216 and the low impedance patient. It will be appreciated that such transducers may include a single or multiple matching layers. Currently available transducers typically use two matching layers, where the use of the two matching layers in the transducer is a combination of performance in spatially constrained applications and laminate thickness. Can correspond to the best balance between.
In addition, in step 214, an exemplary dematching layer 222 having a top surface and a bottom surface can be disposed on the bottom surface of the acoustic layer 216. In other words, the dematching layer 222 can be arranged on the back surface of the front surface on which the first matching layer 218 of the acoustic layer 216 is arranged. In addition, the dematching layer 222 may be configured to have a thickness in the range of about 50 microns to about 500 microns. Further, as can be seen, the dematching layer 222 becomes conductive depending on whether it is formed of a conductive substrate or a non-conductive substrate having a conductive via structure. It can be configured as follows. In this way, the acoustic laminate 224 before cutting the dice can be formed by stacking the second matching layer 220, the first matching layer 218, the acoustic layer 216, and the dematching layer 222 and joining the layers together.
Continuing with reference to step 214, the intervening layer 204 is coupled to the bottom surface of the dematching layer 222. Such bonding can be performed by any of several known methods, including compression bonding, gold stud bump bonding, conductive epoxies, solder reflow, anisotropic conductive films, or other methods. As mentioned above, the intervening layer 204 has an acoustic impedance that is substantially lower than the acoustic impedance of the dematching layer 222. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a base material 226 having a top surface and a bottom surface can be selected. The substrate 226 may include one of plastic, metal, ceramic, silicon, polymer or glass. It may be noted that the substrate 226 may be configured to impart mechanical strength to the transducer assembly during the fabrication process.
Step 228 represents a step of dice-cutting a transducer assembly to form a plurality of transducer elements. Thus, one or more saw groove 230s may extend through the second matching layer 220, the first matching layer 218, the acoustic layer 216, and the dematching layer 222. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the one or more saw groove 230s may partially extend to the intervening layer 204. As a result of dicing the four layers in step 228, multiple transducer elements 232 can be formed.
In step 234, the grooving filler 236 can be arranged in the space between the elements between the plurality of transducer elements 232. Alternatively, the groove 230 may be left unfilled so that air is present between each of the transducer elements 232. The grooving filler 236 may include filled or unfilled silicone or epoxy. Further, the groove filler 236 can be configured to mechanically reinforce the transducer assembly by filling the inter-device space 230, thereby reducing brittleness and obtaining a more reliable assembly. be able to. The grooving filler 236 can be configured to have low shear stiffness or high shear attenuation, thereby minimizing inter-device crosstalk. Following step 234, the substrate 226 can be removed in step 238 to couple the beamforming electronics 240 to the bottom surface of the intervening layer, compressive coupling, gold stud bump coupling, conductive epoxy, solder reflow, heterogeneous. It can be bonded by a conductive film or other method. Further, the lossy backing layer 163 can be added to the back surface of the beamforming electronic circuit 240. As shown in FIG. 7, the spacing or pitch of the interconnect pads 242 of the beamforming electronic circuit 240 is such that an electrical connection is formed between the beamforming electronic circuit 240 and the intervening layer 204. It matches the pitch of the connection pad 212.
In addition to the manufacturing process described in FIG. 7, it is recognized that an alternative manufacturing process for constructing the transducer assembly 142 can be embodied. For example, according to an alternative manufacturing process embodiment, the substrate 226 can be omitted from the manufacturing process. According to one embodiment, the manufacturing process can be started by attaching the intervening layer 204 to the beamforming electronic circuit 240. The acoustic laminate 224 can then be assembled on the intervening layer 204 and the beamforming electronics 240 (providing support), thereby eliminating the need for a substrate 226. According to another embodiment, the acoustic laminate 224 can be assembled only on the intervening layer 204. The beamforming electronic circuit 240 is then subsequently attached to the intervening layer 204 so that the beamforming electronic circuit 240 does not undergo the process of forming the transducer element 232. According to another embodiment, the acoustic laminate 224 can be die-cut prior to the addition of the second matching layer 220, leaving the second matching layer as a continuous layer of this layer. An electrical ground connection is provided for each of the transducer elements 232 along with a conductive film (not shown) applied to the bottom surface.
Here, referring to FIG. 8, according to one embodiment of the present invention, an intervening layer 250 configured to allow simultaneous connection of the transducer element and the beamforming electronic circuit to the interconnection is provided. The intervening layer 250 includes a first connection region 252 for coupling to the transducer element 256 as described in FIG. 3 and a second connection region 254 for coupling to the beamforming electronic circuit 258. I'm out. The first connection region 252 and the second connection region 254 of the intervening layer 250 correspond to the first and second groups of interconnect pads 260, 262 on the beamforming electronic circuit 258. The first group of interconnect pads 260 are located inside the central portion of the beamforming electronic circuit 258 and are associated with the transducer element 256, whereas the second group of interconnect pads 262 are one of the beamforming electronic circuits 258 or It relates to system connections that are arranged along multiple edges to provide signal input / output (I / O), power and control effects.
Similar to the intervening layers discussed in FIGS. 3-7, the intervening layer 250 is formed of a non-conductive organic substrate 264. According to an example of the embodiment, the substrate 264 is formed of a non-conductive material having an acoustic impedance of less than about 10 MRayl, preferably less than 5 M Rayl. The organic substrate 264 is made of, for example, polyimide and has a total thickness in the range of about 25 microns to about 500 microns, preferably thicker than 125 microns. The intervening layer 250 formed of the low acoustic impedance material allows the dematching layer 280, the intervening layer 250 and the integrated circuit 258 to act more efficiently as an acoustic reflector. Placing a low acoustic impedance intervening layer 250 between the dematching layer 280 and the beamforming electronic circuit 258 significantly increases the effective acoustic impedance of the beamforming electronic circuit, which causes sound waves from the front / top surface of the transducer element 256. Reflects most of the energy.
As shown in FIG. 8, the base material 264 of the intervening layer 250 includes the first layer 266 and the second layer 268, but it is recognized that other single-layer base material or multi-layer base material can also be embodied. Be done. According to an example of the embodiment, in the second connection region 254, the first layer 266 of the substrate 264 is a system connection (not shown) such as a beamforming electronic circuit 258 and a cable flex circuit. It acts as a signal I / O that transmits signals between them. The second layer 268 of the substrate 264 acts as a power and control layer that supplies power / control signals from the system connection to the beamforming electronic circuit 258.
The first connection region 252 of the intervening layer 250 includes a plurality of vias 270 formed and contained, and the vias are configured as penetrating vias extending from the front surface to the back surface of the base material. As mentioned above with respect to FIG. 4, the vias 270 have the same spacing or pitch as the spacing or pitch of the transducer elements 256 and the pitch of the interconnect pads (eg, bump connections) of group 260 of the beamforming electronic circuit 258. Is formed on the base material 264 as described above. Each of the vias 270 is filled with a conductive filler 272 (eg, silver epoxy) or with thin metal conductive interconnects and non-conductive epoxies, which interconnects through the intervening layer 250 to the beam forming electronic circuit 258. Each of the group of interconnect pads 260 and transducer element 256 is provided with an electrical connection or path.
The second connection region 254 of the intervening layer 250 acts to transmit power and control commands from system interconnects such as cable flex circuits to the beamforming electronic circuit 258. Thus, the second connection region 254 is a series of conductive traces (not shown) running in that region, as well as a second group of interconnect pads 262 on the beamforming electronic circuit 258. Includes pad connection 274 and / or via 270 (filled with conductive epoxy 272). According to an example of an embodiment, the connection pad 274 above the intervening layer 250 electrically couples the first substrate layer 266 to the interconnect pads of the second group of interconnect pads 262 for beamforming. The signal I / O is provided to the electronic circuit 258. To provide power and control signals to the beamforming electronics 258, the second substrate layer 268 is a single layer via extending through the first substrate layer 266 (filled with a conductive material). It is electrically coupled to another interconnect pad of the second group of interconnect pads 262 via 276 (filled with conductive epoxy 272), and the connection pad 274. Also, a ground / dual power connection between another interconnect pad of the second group of interconnect pads 262 and the electrical ground 278 is provided by the intervening layer 250. That is, a penetrating via 270 filled with conductive epoxy 272 is formed through the substrate 264, and the interconnect pads of the second group of interconnect pads 262 are electrically coupled to the conductive dematching layer 280 to degenerate. The matching layer is further coupled to the electrical ground 278.
As shown in FIG. 8, according to an example of the embodiment, the acoustic laminate forming the transducer element 256 has sufficient dimensions to cover both the first connection region 252 and the second connection region 254. Have. During the manufacturing process, the stratified acoustic laminate is laminated on one side of the intervening layers 250 (covering the first and second connection regions 252 and 254) and is a 2D array of transducer elements 256 as described in FIG. Is processed into. The joined transducer element and flex circuit are then electrically joined to the first group of interconnect pads 260 in which the first connection region 252 (and the transducer element 256) is associated with the acoustic transmission / reception signal, and the first Using an adhesive on the beam forming electronic circuit 258 so that the second connection region 254 is electrically bonded to the second group of interconnect pads 262 related to signal I / O, power and control action. It is pressure-bonded and laminated. Beneficially, the intervening layer 250 allows the array of transducer elements to be constructed without mounting on the surface of the beamforming electronics 258 (stacking, polishing, cleaning, dicing, etc. of each component). This limits the possibility of damage to the beamforming electronics. In addition, the intervening layer 250 allows simultaneous connection of the transducer element 256 and the beamforming electronic circuit 258 to the signal I / O, power and control connections of the intervening layer, providing easy connection to system interconnects.
Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasonic transducer has an acoustic layer having an array of acoustic elements and a dematching layer coupled to the acoustic layer and having an acoustic impedance higher than the acoustic impedance of the acoustic layer. , The intervening layer is coupled to the dematching layer and includes a base material and an intervening layer including a plurality of conductive elements, and the intervening layer has an acoustic impedance lower than the acoustic impedance of the dematching layer. The ultrasonic transducer also includes an integrated circuit that is coupled to an intervening layer and is electrically connected to an array of acoustic elements through the dematching layer and the intervening layer.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer includes a step of providing an intervening layer, a step of forming a plurality of vias in the intervening layer, and adding a conductive material inside the vias. The step includes a step and a step of connecting the acoustic layer to the decoding layer, and the decoding layer has an acoustic impedance higher than the acoustic impedance of the acoustic layer and higher than the acoustic impedance of the intervening layer. The method also includes the step of coupling the intervening layer to the dematching layer and the step of coupling the beamforming electronic circuit package to the intervening layer, in which the beamforming electronic circuit package is formed with a plurality of connection pads. It has and is electrically coupled to the acoustic layer via an intervening layer.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasonic transducer configured for the invasive probe is coupled to an acoustic layer having an array of acoustic elements and an acoustic layer, rather than the acoustic impedance of the acoustic layer. It includes a dematching layer having a high acoustic impedance and a beam forming electronic circuit having a plurality of connection pads formed so as to send a signal to the acoustic layer and receive a signal from the acoustic layer. The ultrasonic transducer also includes an intervening layer coupled to the dematching layer, which is also non-conductive with a plurality of vias formed having an acoustic impedance lower than the acoustic impedance of the dematching layer. A first connection region, which is configured to electrically connect a sex substrate and a beam forming electronic circuit to an acoustic layer and has a plurality of conductive paths extending through a plurality of vias, and a beam forming electronic circuit. Includes a second connection area configured to electrically connect to a system connection that includes at least one of a signal input / output connection, a power and control connection, and a ground and dual power connection.
This documentary description discloses the present invention in this document, including optimal embodiments, and any person skilled in the art, including manufacturing and utilizing any device or system, and performing any incorporated method. Uses examples to make it possible to carry out the present invention. The patentable scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and may include other examples conceived by those skilled in the art. Such other examples have structural elements that do not differ from the written language of the claims, or include equivalent structural elements that have a non-substantial difference from the written language of the claims. Is within the scope of the claims.
100 ultrasonic system 102 transmitter Array of 104 elements 106 Ultrasonic Transducer 108 receiver 110 beamforming electronic circuit 112 RF processor 114, 122 memory 116 processor module 118 indicator 124 User interface 130 3D compatible compact ultrasonic system 132 Transducer 134 User interface 136 integrated display 138 external device 140 Wired or wireless network 142 Transducer Assembly 144 Transducer element array 145 Desired inter-element spacing or pitch 146 acoustic layer 148 First matching layer 150 Second matching layer 151 Conductive thin film 152 Dematching layer 154 Intervening layer 156 integrated circuit 158 base material 160 Conductive element 161 interconnect pad 162, 172, 186 intervening layers 163 Loss backing layer 164, 174 base material 166, 180, 194 beer 168, 182, 198 Filler 170, 184 connection pad 176 metal sheet 178 perforations 188, 190, 192 base material layer 196 metal interconnect 204 Intervening layer 206 base material 208 beer 210 Filler 212 connection pad 216 acoustic layer 218 First matching layer 220 Second matching layer 222 Dematching layer 224 Acoustic laminate before cutting the die 226 base material 230 saw groove 232 Transducer element 236 grooving filler 240 beamforming electronic circuit 241 Loss backing layer 242 interconnect pad 250 intervening layer 252 first continental zone 254 Second continental zone 256 Transducer element 258 beamforming electronic circuit 260 First group interconnect pads 262 Second group of interconnect pads 264 organic base material 266 First layer 268 Second layer 270 beer 272 Filler 274 pad connection 276 Single layer via 278 Electrical grounding 280 dematching layer
8 sheets
Sheet 1 Sheet 2 Sheet 3 Sheet 4 Sheet 5 Sheet 6 Sheet 7 Sheet 8
Every citation, both ways
| Document | Relation | Office | Cited during |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR20190075816A | Cited by | Republic of Korea | Search report |
6 members in 3 offices
Priority claims3
| Document | Office | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48522609 | United States of America | A | |
| 12485226 | – | – | – |
| US20090485226 | – | – | – |
Members6
| Document | Office | Kind | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US2010317972A1 | United States of America | A1 | |
| FR2946785A1 | France | A1 | |
| JP2011004395A | Japan | A | |
| US8207652B2 | United States of America | B2 | |
| JP5658488B2This record | Japan | B2 | |
| FR2946785B1 | France | B1 |
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Numbers
- Publication
- 5658488
- Publication, DOCDB
- 5658488
- Publication, EPODOC
- JP5658488B
- Application
- 131565
- Application, DOCDB
- 2010131565
- Application, EPODOC
- JP20100131565
Titles2
- Japanese
- 改善された音響性能を有する超音波トランスデューサ
- English
- Ultrasonic Transducer with Improved Acoustic Performance
Classification
- CPC, 3
- G10K11/002
- A61B8/483
- A61B8/4483
- IPC, 3
- H04R17 00
- H10N30 00
- A61B8 00
