Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Richard Edward Davidsen

Wojtek Sudol

Bernard Joseph Savord

Andrew Lee Robinson

Michael Scarsella

Junho Song

James Christopher Taylor

Johannes Wilhelmus Weekamp

George Anthony Brock-Fisher

Steven Russell Freeman

Bout Marcelis

Kevin Grayson Wickline

Samuel Raymond Peters

Carl Dean Herickhoff

Yongjian Yu

Heather Beck Knowles

James Paolino

The invention relates to a capacitive micro-machined ultrasound transducer (CMUT) cell () comprising a cell floor () having a first electrode (); a cell membrane () having a second electrode (') which opposes the first electrode and vibrates during transmission or reception of acoustic energy; a transmitter/receiver coupled to the first and second electrodes which causes the cell membrane to vibrate at an acoustic frequency and/or receives signals at an acoustic frequency; and an acoustic lens (), overlaying the cell membrane, and having an inner surface opposing the cell membrane and an outer, patient-facing surface. According to the present invention the acoustic lens comprises at least one layer of a material selected from the group of: polybudatiene, polyether block amide (PEBAX), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and buthylrubber.

Capacitive micro-machined ultrasound transducer cell

An array of CMUT cells has a DC bias voltage coupled to the top electrodes of the cells to bias the electrode to a desired collapsed or partially collapsed state. In the event of a short-circuit failure of a CMUT cell a protection circuit for the cell senses an over-current condition and responds by opening the DC current path through the failed cell. The protection circuit further disables the transmit and receive circuitry of the cell. In another implementation a sense circuit senses an over-current condition of the DC bias supply and responds by disabling all of the CMUT cells of the array, then sequentially re-enabling them, except that an attempt to re-enable a failed cell results in that cell remaining in a disabled state.

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers with overcurrent protection

An array of CMUT cells () has a DC bias voltage (VB) coupled to the top electrodes of the cells to bias the electrode to a desired collapsed or partially collapsed state. Fuses () are coupled in series with the bottom electrodes () of the cells which will open and isolate an individual cell from the other still-functional cells of the array in the event of a failure of the individual cell. In a preferred embodiment the cells are coupled to control integrated circuitry such as microbeamformer circuitry and the fuses are formed of semiconductor materials with the integrated circuitry, thereby leaving the MUT surface area available for high density MUT fabrication. Damage to the integrated circuitry due to short-circuiting of the DC bias current through a failed cell is prevented.

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers with increased lifetime

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for coupling a flexible transducer to an object are described. A transducer positioning device may include an inflatable bladder and a strap. The inflatable bladder may apply a force to a transducer array to maintain its position against the object when inflated. The strap may hold the bladder against the transducer array. Once in place, the bladder may be inflated with a fluid.

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for coupling a flexible transducer to a surface

An ultrasound transducer assembly () is disclosed comprising a plurality of transducer elements () for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves () each having a substrate () and a flexible membrane () disposed in a distance from a substrate. An AC voltage control unit () is provided for controlling an AC voltage provided to each of the transducer elements, and a DC voltage control unit () for controlling a DC bias voltage provided to the transducer elements in order to bring the flexible membranes in a collapse mode into contact with the substrate. The DC voltage control unit is adapted to disconnect the DC bias voltage from the transducer elements temporarily during the operation of the ultrasound transducer assembly to limit the collapse mode.

Ultrasound transducer assembly and method for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves

A matrix array probe including a transducer array and integrated circuitry coupled to the transducer elements dissipates heat generated by the array and integrated circuitry through the cover of the transducer probe. A pump in the probe connector pumps fluid through a closed loop system including inbound an outbound fluid conduits in the cable. The fluid conduits in the cable are separated by the cable electrical conductors for the probe. The heat transfer in the probe is done by a heat exchanger in the transducer backing block. Additional cooling may be provided by metal to metal contact with a chiller in the ultrasound system.

Ultrasonic matrix array probe with thermally dissipating cable and backing block heat exchange

A backing block for an ultrasonic transducer array stack of an ultrasound probe is formed as a composite structure of graphite foam impregnated with an epoxy resin. The epoxy resin penetrates the porous foam structure at least part-way into the depth of the graphite foam block and, when cured, provides the backing block with good structural stability. The composite graphite foam backing block is bonded to the integrated circuit of a transducer to provide high thermal conductivity away from the transducer and good acoustic attenuation or scattering of rearward acoustic reverberations.

High porosity acoustic backing with high thermal conductivity for ultrasound transducer array

A matrix array ultrasound probe passively dissipates heat developed by the matrix array transducer and beamformer ASIC away from the distal end of the probe. The heat developed in the transducer stack is coupled to a metallic frame inside the handle of probe. A metallic heatspreader is thermally coupled to the probe frame to convey heat away from the frame. The heatspreader surrounds the inside of the probe handle and has an outer surface which is thermally coupled to the inner surface of the probe housing. Heat is thereby coupled evenly from the heatspreader into the housing without the development of hotspots in the housing which could be uncomfortable to the hand of the sonographer.

Matrix ultrasound probe with passive heat dissipation

A backing block for an ultrasonic transducer array stack of an ultrasound probe is formed as a composite structure of material of high thermal conductivity in which is embedded a structure of acoustic dampening material. In a constructed embodiment the composite structure is formed from a block of thermally conductive graphite in which a plurality of cylindrical holes are formed which are filled with acoustic dampening material. The holes are angled in relation to the Z-axis direction from the rear of the transducer stack so that reverberation energy traveling in that direction will encounter acoustic dampening material. The graphite around the holes is effective to conduct heat to the rear of the probe and away from the transducer stack and its ASIC.

Composite acoustic backing with high thermal conductivity for ultrasound transducer array

An ultrasound transducer () comprises an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) (), an array of acoustic elements (), and a pitch independent interposer (). The ASIC () includes a plurality of contact pads () on a surface of the ASIC that are separated from adjacent ones thereof by a first pitch. The acoustic elements () of the array () are separated from adjacent ones thereof by a second pitch. In addition, the pitch independent interposer () features a plurality of conductive elements () separated from adjacent ones thereof by a third pitch different from both the first pitch and the second pitch. The pitch independent interposer () is electrically coupled (i) on a first side to the ASIC via a first subset of the plurality of conductive elements and (ii) on a second side to the array of acoustic elements via a second subset of the plurality of conductive elements, wherein one or more of the plurality of conductive elements () electrically couples a contact pad () of the ASIC () with a corresponding acoustic element () of the array () of acoustic elements.

Ultrasound transducer featuring a pitch independent interposer and method of making the same

An acoustic assembly that includes an integrated circuit package having an electrically conductive via configured to pass from an active portion of the integrated circuit package through a bottom portion of the integrated circuit package. The bottom portion is a bottom side of a substrate of the integrated circuit package. An acoustic element is positioned on the bottom side of the substrate and the via is arranged to electrically couple the active portion of the integrated circuit package to the acoustic element. In one embodiment, the acoustic element is an acoustic stack and the integrated circuit package is an ASIC. The assembly microbeamformed transducer.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Richard Edward Davidsen