Volcano Corporation

Jeffrey H Brown

Michael Reiter

Dylan Van Hoven

Paul Douglas Corl

The present disclosure provides a transducer shaping chamber for shaping ultrasound transducers. The transducer shaping chamber includes a transducer coupon carrier having one or more slots. The one or more slots each are geometrically shaped to hold a transducer coupon having a plurality of ultrasonic transducers formed thereon. The transducer shaping chamber includes a first plate disposed over a first side of the transducer coupon carrier. The transducer shaping chamber includes a second plate disposed over a second side of the transducer coupon carrier. The second side is opposite the first side. The transducer shaping chamber is configured to move the first plate and the second plate toward each other so as to push against the transducer coupon carrier from the first and second sides, respectively, until the transducer coupon carrier has been sealed against the first plate and with the second plate.

Apparatus for shaping transducer membranes

The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus of fabricating a transducer for use in ultrasound imaging. A substrate is provided. The substrate may be a silicon substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. A transducer membrane is formed over the first side of the substrate. The transducer membrane includes a piezoelectric component. A well is formed in the substrate from the second side. A backing material is dispensed onto a first sidewall of the well in a manner so as to create a capillary effect that causes the backing material to wick down the sidewall, across the back side of the substrate exposed by the well, and up a second sidewall of the well. The transducer membrane is deflected so that the transducer membrane has a concave shape.

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Valley Center, CA, United States of America

Jeffrey H Brown