Backing for acoustic transducer array

Abstract

An acoustic transducer assembly is provided having a one or two dimensional array of transducer elements, an electrical circuit element such as a circuit element and a backing for interconnecting transducer elements to corresponding contacts or traces of the circuit element. The backing is a block of acoustic attenuating material having a conductor extending therethrough between each transducer element and the corresponding circuit contact. The block has acoustic properties, including acoustic impedance and acoustic velocity, to achieve a desired degree of acoustic match with the transducer elements and/or to permit coupling of acoustic energy from the conductors into the block. The block may be of a single material or may have different volumes of two or more materials having different acoustic properties to achieve desired results. Multiple thin conductors or conducting fibers or foils may be utilized for each transducer element to reduce or eliminate acoustic coupling into the conductors. Acoustic coupling into the conductors may also be reduced by providing off-center contact with the transducer elements. Removal of acoustic energy from the conductors may be facilitated by covering each conductor with a material having a lower acoustic velocity than the conductor, which material is impedance matched to at least a portion of adjacent backing material.