EP0190948A2 - Transducteur à ultrason - Google Patents

Transducteur à ultrason Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0190948A2
EP0190948A2 EP86300880A EP86300880A EP0190948A2 EP 0190948 A2 EP0190948 A2 EP 0190948A2 EP 86300880 A EP86300880 A EP 86300880A EP 86300880 A EP86300880 A EP 86300880A EP 0190948 A2 EP0190948 A2 EP 0190948A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ultrasonic probe
powder
piezoelectric vibrator
mixed
rubber
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP86300880A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0190948A3 (en
EP0190948B1 (fr
Inventor
Koetsu Saito
Masami Kawabuchi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Panasonic Holdings Corp
Original Assignee
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP60023876A external-priority patent/JPH0716280B2/ja
Priority claimed from JP2387585A external-priority patent/JPS61184099A/ja
Priority claimed from JP2387785A external-priority patent/JPS61181447A/ja
Application filed by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd filed Critical Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd
Publication of EP0190948A2 publication Critical patent/EP0190948A2/fr
Publication of EP0190948A3 publication Critical patent/EP0190948A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0190948B1 publication Critical patent/EP0190948B1/fr
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B06—GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS IN GENERAL
    • B06B—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, e.g. FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL
    • B06B1/00—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency
    • B06B1/02—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency making use of electrical energy
    • B06B1/06—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency making use of electrical energy operating with piezoelectric effect or with electrostriction
    • B06B1/0607—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency making use of electrical energy operating with piezoelectric effect or with electrostriction using multiple elements
    • B06B1/0622—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency making use of electrical energy operating with piezoelectric effect or with electrostriction using multiple elements on one surface

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an ultrasonic probe which is used for an ultrasonic medical diagnostic apparatus and which serves as a transmitter and receiver of a sound wave.
  • ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus there are various types of ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and hence, various types of ultrasonic probes for various purposes.
  • ultrasonic probes there is an array-type ultrasonic probe in which multiple strips of micro piezoelectric vibrators are arrayed on a straight line.
  • the array-type ultrasonic probe is composed of multiplicity of strips of piezoelectric vibrators with electrodes attached onto both surfaces. Piezoelectric ceramic or the like is used for the piezoelectric vibrator and those piezoelectric vibrators with electrodes are set in array. On the electrode of the piezoelectric vibrator on the side of an object to be examined an acoustic matching layer is formed and, if necessary, an acoustic lens is disposed thereon. On the surface of the piezoelectric vibrator contrary to the object to be examined a backing load member is provided.
  • the acoustic matching laye:r consists of one or two layers made of glass or epoxy resin which is mixed with tungsten powder.
  • an adhesive should be made even and thin, and when the ultrasonic probe is operated with high-frequency waves, the matching layer should be made very thin to a diegree of the order of several tens of microns, which is easy to damage and makes the manufacture of the ultrasonic probe very difficult.
  • the backing load member is generally made of epoxy resin mixed with tungsten powder, rubber material mixed with ferrite powder, or urethane rubber mixe-d with hollow microspheres of plastics having a diameter of several hundreds microns or below.
  • the epoxy resin mixed with tungsten powder is superior in hardness characteristics, but has small acoustic propagation loss of sound wave.
  • the rubber material mixed with ferrite powder is inferior in hardness characteristics.
  • the urethane rubber mixed with the hollow microspheres of plastics has low acoustic impedance in comparison with said epoxy resin or rubber material, and wide-dynamic range is obtained because of small deterioration of sensitivity for sound wave.
  • the acoustic propagation loss for sound wave is small, approximately 2.S dB/mm at 3.5 MHz.
  • an ultrasonic probe which comprises a plurality of piezoelectric vibrators for transmitting and receiving ultrasound wave, a backing load member which is provided on one surface of said piezoelectric vibrators, an acoustic matching layer which is provided on another surfaces of said piezoelectric vibrators, and a plurality of fillers whic:h are filled between said plurality of piezoelectric vibrators.
  • the backing load member is composed of epoxy resin or rubber material which are essentially including metal or insulator powders and hollow microspheres of plastics.
  • the acoustic matching layer consists of one or more layer, and the acoustic impedance layer on the side of an object to be examined is made of thermosetting resin mixed with carbonyl group material.
  • the filler is made of epoxy resin which is mixed with powders as ocasion demands.
  • the material of the filler is substitutable with rubber material or thermosetting resin which are mixed with metal powders or insulator powders and hollow microspheres of plastics.
  • Fig. 1 shows an example of a structure of an conventional ultrasonic probe.
  • a backing load member 102 for expanding the frequency width of ultrasonic waves and obtaining the mechanical strength of the ultrasonic probe is provided through an electrode (mot shown).
  • the backing load member 102 a rubber material mixed with ferrite powder or a plastic material mixed with tungsten powder is used.
  • one or two acoustic matching layers 103, 106 for efficiently leading a sound wave to the object to be examined are provided on another electrode. Further, on these layers an acoustic lens 107 is provided.
  • Numeral 105 represents a filler material which is filled in a gap between the piezoelectric vibrators 101.
  • Numeral 108 represents a sound wave emanated from the ultrasonic probe.
  • a material such as glass or epoxy resin mixed with tungsten powder is used as a material for the acoustic matching layer 103 on the side of the piezoelectric vibrator 101 and epoxy resin is used as a material for the acoustic matching layer 106 on the side of the object to be examined.
  • the acoustic impedance of these materials is, generally, 8 - 15 x 10 5 g/cm 2 .s in the acoustic matching layer 103 on the side of piezoelectric vibrator 101 (hereinunder "the first matching layer”) and 2 - 4 x 10 5 g/cm 2 .s in the acomstic matching layer 106 on the side of the object to be examined (hereinunder "the second acoustic matching layer”).
  • the thickness of the first and the second acoustic matching layers 103, 106 is generally equal to a quarter wavelength of the sound wave which travels each acoustic matching layer.
  • the acoustic impedance is 11 - 15 x 10 5 g/cm 2 .s, which is an appropriate value from the viewpoint of acoustic impedance matching, but the probe is mechanically weak. Therefore an ultrasonic probe in which glass is used for the first matching layer disadvantageously brings about a problem such as difficulty in manufacturing or decrease in the yield.
  • the acoustic impedance can be freely selected (8 - 15 x 10 g/cm 2. s), and the probe is mechanically strong.
  • the matching layer should be made very thin when the ultrasonic probe is operated with high-frequency waves, for example, 80 micron when the frequency is 5 MHz, which makes the manufacture of the ultrasonic probe very difficult.
  • the filler 105 is provided for acoustically coupling said piezoelectric vibrators 101 discontinuously to prevent acoustic crosstalk between the piezoelectric vibrators 101.
  • adhesive of epoxy resin which has small acoustic impedance of about 3 x 10 g/cm 2 .s is used.
  • the adhesive 105 leaks the ultrasonic wave approximately 15 - 26% from one: piezoelectric vibrator to neighbour piezoelectric vibrator.
  • the adhesive 105 has small wave propagation loss of 1 dB/mm at 3.0 MHz. Therefore, the adhesive 105 of epoxy resin cannot prevent the crosstalk sufficiently.
  • Figs. 2 and 3 are a perspective view and cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an ultrasonic probe according to the invention.
  • This material for the first matching layer 3 is composed of essentially thermosetting resin mixed with powder of carbonyl group material.
  • the acoustic impedance is 11 x 10 5 g/cm 2 .s, the velocity of sound is 2500 m/sec and it cures in 12 hours at 60°C.
  • the piezoelectric vibrator 1 and the first matching layer 3 is divided into a plurality of portions by machining or laser-machining and gaps thus formed are filled with a filler material 5 the acoustic impedance of which is small, and the attenuation of sound wave of which is large.
  • a second matching layer 6 of a thickness of a quarter wavelength is formed by the same adhesive or pouring method as in the first matching layer 3.
  • the second matching layer 6 is made of a material having acoustic impedance of 2.5 x 10 - 4 x 10 5 g/cm 2 .s, such as epoxy resin.
  • an acoustic lens 7 such as silicone rubber is provided on the second matching layer 6 .
  • the backing load member 2 is made of epoxy resin mixed with tungsten powder and hollow microsphere of plastics (hereafter called ''microballoon.”).
  • the epoxy resin mixed with 250 wt % of tungsten powder and 3 wt % of microballon has the following advantageous properties.
  • the filler material 5 is composed of a material such as epoxy resin, which may be adaptable of the adhesive for the second acoustic matching layer 6, or epoxy resin mixed with silicon carbide powder.
  • this invention introduces epoxy resin mixed with iron carbonyl, which can be poured and set at a temperature not higher than 100°C, as a material for the first matching layer 3, it is possible to easily obtain an ultrasonic probe of high efficiency and uniform properties.
  • this material has the acoustic impedance of 11 x 10 5 g/cm 2 .s, which satisfies the acoustic matching condition and increases efficiency.
  • the high velocity of sound of 2500 m/sec allows the ultrasonic probe with a frequency of as high as 5 MHz to be made as thick as 125 micron, which is thick enough to be formed easily, and heightens reliability in mechan.ism.
  • the backing load member 2 To avoid unnecessary reflection of sound wave from the surface of the backing load member 2 and to obtain wide dynamic range, it is desirable to use a material having large acoustic propagation loss as th.e backing load member.
  • the aforementioned material for the backing load member 2 has the acoustic propagation loss of 26 dB/mm at 3 MHz, which results to obtain the dynamic range of more than 150 dB. Furthermore, this material allows to lower the thickness of the backing load member 2 to 2.9 mm or more to avoid unnecessary reflection. As a result, remarkable miniaturization and light weighting of the ultrasonic probe are realized in comparison with the conventional one which utilize urethane rubber or rubber material with ferrite powder as the backing load member.
  • the filler material 5 of aforementioned epoxy resin or epoxy resin mixed with silicon carbide powder suppress unnecessary transverse vibratiom and attenuate acoustic crosstalk between the piezoelectric vibrators l.
  • Figs. 4 and 5 are a perspective view and cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.
  • like reference numerals of those of Figs. 2 and 3 denote like elements.
  • the piezoelectric vibrator 1 is devided into a plurality of portions, but the first acoustic matching layer 3 is not devided which is different from the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3.
  • the backing load member 2 is essentially composed of rubber material mixed with metal powder or insulator material and microballoon.
  • silicone rubber mixed with 200 wt % tungsten powder and 1.5 wt % of plastics microballoon has the acoustic impedance of 1.1 x 10 -5 g/cm 2 .s, and large acoustic propagation loss of approximately 40 dB/mm at 3 M H z.
  • This material makes it possible to thin the backing load member to 1.5 mm or more, where:in dynamic range of signal is obtained by avoiding unnecessary reflection of sound waves from end surface of the backing load member.
  • the sensitivity for ultrasonic wave of the ultrasonic probe becomes large when the acoustic impedance of the backing load member 2 is small.
  • the acoustic propagation loss thereof is adjustable between 35 - 50 dB/mm, and " the acoustic impedance thereof is adjustable between 0.7 x 10 5 - 2 x 10 5 g / cm 2 .s.
  • the amount of the mixed tungste:n and the plastic microballoon is also adjustable by changing the particle diameter thereof.
  • the backing load member 2 is manufactured by pouring the material or by sticking preformed block of the backing load member to the piezoelectric vibrator 1.
  • the backing load material of the embodiment is also applicable to the structure shown in Figs 2 and 3.
  • urethane rubber butyl rubber, chloroprene rubber and so on as a mother material of the backing load member 2 in place of the silicone rubber.
  • the tungsten powder mixed to the rubber material of the backing load material is also substitutable with molybdenum powder, lead powder, nickel powder, iron powder, zinc powder, ferrite powder, tungsten carbide powder, and silicon carbide powder.
  • the metal powder and the insulator powder, such as tungsten powder and silicon carbide powder, are possible to be mixed together into the rubber material with the microballoon.
  • the backing load member 2 of this embodiment has small acoustic impedance so that little transmitted and received signals propagate to the backing load member 2. As a result, the sensitivity is prevented from deterioration and wide dynamic range can be obtained. In addition to this, large acoustic propagation attenuation of the backing load member 2 allows to form the backing load member 2 very thin, and therefore the ultrasonic probe can be miniaturized.
  • the filler material 5 may .be substituted by a rubber material mixed with powders of metal or insulator and plastic microballoons.
  • silicone rubber containing 200 wt % of tungsten powders and 1.5 wt % of plastic microballoon represents the acoustic impedance of 1.06 x 10 5 g/cm 2 .s and the acoustic propagation loss of approximately 40 dB/mm at 3 MHz.
  • the acoustic crosstalk resulted from the small acoustic transmission coefficient of 6 - 10 % is practically attenuated in the filler material 5, because the filler material 5 of of the abovementioned material has acoustic propagation loss of 40 dB/mm at 3 MHz which is approximately 40 times larger than that of conventional filler of epoxy resin binder.
  • the filler material 5 of of the abovementioned material has acoustic propagation loss of 40 dB/mm at 3 MHz which is approximately 40 times larger than that of conventional filler of epoxy resin binder.
  • the acoustic impedance and. acoustic propagation loss of the filler material 5 are adjustable by adjusting the amounts of the mixed tungsten powders and plastic microballoons.
  • the silicone rubber mixed with 100 wt % of tungsten powders and 2 wt % of plastic microballoons has acoustic impedance of 0.7 x 10 5 g/cm 2 .s and acoustic propagation loss of 50 dB/mm at 3 MHz.
  • the silicone rubber mixed with 400 wt % of tungsten powders and 0.8 wt % of plastic microballoons has acoustic impedance of 2 x 10 g/cm 2 .s and acoustic propagation loss of 35 dB/mm at 3 MHz.
  • acoustic impedance and acoustic propagation loss of the silicone rubber mixed with the tungsten powders and plastic microballoon are controlable by adjusting the mixing ratio of the tungsten powders and plastic microballoons.
  • the silicone rubber of the filler material 5 is substitutable with other rubber-such as urethane rubber, butyl rubber and chloroprene rubber, or thermosetting resin such as epoxy resin and urethane resin.
  • the tungsten powder is substituted by tantalum powder, ferrite powder, zinc powder, silicone carbide powder, tungsten carbide powder and iron powder.
  • Metal powder and insulator powder, such as tungsten powder and silicon carbide powder, are possible to be mixed together.
  • the filler material of the embodiment is also applicable to the structure shown in Figs. 2 and 3.
  • the piezoelectric vibrators 1 may be arranged not only in straight line but also in arc line or matrix figure.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ultra Sonic Daignosis Equipment (AREA)
  • Transducers For Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
EP19860300880 1985-02-08 1986-02-10 Transducteur à ultrason Expired EP0190948B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP60023876A JPH0716280B2 (ja) 1985-02-08 1985-02-08 超音波探触子
JP2387585A JPS61184099A (ja) 1985-02-08 1985-02-08 超音波探触子
JP23876/85 1985-02-08
JP23875/85 1985-02-08
JP23877/85 1985-02-08
JP2387785A JPS61181447A (ja) 1985-02-08 1985-02-08 超音波探触子

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0190948A2 true EP0190948A2 (fr) 1986-08-13
EP0190948A3 EP0190948A3 (en) 1987-08-12
EP0190948B1 EP0190948B1 (fr) 1992-01-22

Family

ID=27284418

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19860300880 Expired EP0190948B1 (fr) 1985-02-08 1986-02-10 Transducteur à ultrason

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0190948B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE3683509D1 (fr)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2232487A (en) * 1989-06-09 1990-12-12 Shimizu Construction Co Ltd Ultrasonic measuring apparatus including a damped transducer probe
EP0451984A2 (fr) * 1990-03-28 1991-10-16 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Système de sonde ultrasonore
EP0458146A2 (fr) * 1990-05-22 1991-11-27 Acoustic Imaging Technologies Corporation Transducteur ultrasonore à couplage mutuel réduit
EP0490260A2 (fr) * 1990-12-07 1992-06-17 Interspec, Inc. Transducteur à céramique ferroélectrique
EP0589396A2 (fr) * 1992-09-23 1994-03-30 Acuson Corporation Transducteur à ultrason muni d'un support absorbant rigide
US5410205A (en) * 1993-02-11 1995-04-25 Hewlett-Packard Company Ultrasonic transducer having two or more resonance frequencies
FR2736790A1 (fr) * 1995-07-10 1997-01-17 Intercontrole Sa Traducteur ultrasonore comprenant un ensemble focalisant d'elements piezoelectriques et une lentille mince de focalisation
US6049159A (en) * 1997-10-06 2000-04-11 Albatros Technologies, Inc. Wideband acoustic transducer
EP1755359A1 (fr) * 2004-05-24 2007-02-21 Olympus Corporation Transducteur supersonique et procédé pour la fabrication de celui-ci
WO2007103144A2 (fr) 2006-03-02 2007-09-13 Visualsonics Inc. Couche d'adaptation ultrasonore et transducteur associé
CN104045979A (zh) * 2014-06-30 2014-09-17 哈尔滨工业大学 一种基于氧化石墨烯改进背衬材料吸声性能的方法

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3119272A1 (de) * 1980-05-15 1982-04-01 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Kadoma, Osaka "bogenabtastungs-ultraschallwandler-anordnung"
EP0128049A2 (fr) * 1983-06-07 1984-12-12 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Sonde ultrasonore muni d'un support absorbant
EP0142318A2 (fr) * 1983-11-09 1985-05-22 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Transducteur à ultrasons

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3119272A1 (de) * 1980-05-15 1982-04-01 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Kadoma, Osaka "bogenabtastungs-ultraschallwandler-anordnung"
EP0128049A2 (fr) * 1983-06-07 1984-12-12 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Sonde ultrasonore muni d'un support absorbant
EP0142318A2 (fr) * 1983-11-09 1985-05-22 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Transducteur à ultrasons

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
1978 ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS, 25th - 27th September 1978, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, US, pages 111-116, IEEE, New York, US; C.S. DESILETS et al.: "Highly efficient transducer arrays useful in nondestructive testing applications" *
JOURNAL OF ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, vol. 69, no. 5, May 1981, pages 1505-1506, Acoust. Soc. Am., New York, US; S. ROKHLIN et al.: "Acoustic properties of tungsten-tin composites" *

Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2232487B (en) * 1989-06-09 1993-08-04 Shimizu Construction Co Ltd Ultrasonic measuring apparatus including a high-damping probe
GB2232487A (en) * 1989-06-09 1990-12-12 Shimizu Construction Co Ltd Ultrasonic measuring apparatus including a damped transducer probe
EP0451984A2 (fr) * 1990-03-28 1991-10-16 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Système de sonde ultrasonore
EP0451984A3 (en) * 1990-03-28 1992-07-22 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Ultrasonic probe system
US5163436A (en) * 1990-03-28 1992-11-17 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Ultrasonic probe system
EP0458146A2 (fr) * 1990-05-22 1991-11-27 Acoustic Imaging Technologies Corporation Transducteur ultrasonore à couplage mutuel réduit
EP0458146A3 (en) * 1990-05-22 1993-02-24 Acoustic Imaging Technologies Corporation Ultrasonic transducer with reduced acoustic cross coupling
EP0490260A2 (fr) * 1990-12-07 1992-06-17 Interspec, Inc. Transducteur à céramique ferroélectrique
EP0490260A3 (en) * 1990-12-07 1993-11-18 Interspec Inc Ferroelectric ceramic transducer
EP0589396A3 (fr) * 1992-09-23 1995-07-12 Acuson Transducteur à ultrason muni d'un support absorbant rigide.
EP0589396A2 (fr) * 1992-09-23 1994-03-30 Acuson Corporation Transducteur à ultrason muni d'un support absorbant rigide
US5410205A (en) * 1993-02-11 1995-04-25 Hewlett-Packard Company Ultrasonic transducer having two or more resonance frequencies
FR2736790A1 (fr) * 1995-07-10 1997-01-17 Intercontrole Sa Traducteur ultrasonore comprenant un ensemble focalisant d'elements piezoelectriques et une lentille mince de focalisation
US6049159A (en) * 1997-10-06 2000-04-11 Albatros Technologies, Inc. Wideband acoustic transducer
EP1755359A1 (fr) * 2004-05-24 2007-02-21 Olympus Corporation Transducteur supersonique et procédé pour la fabrication de celui-ci
EP1755359A4 (fr) * 2004-05-24 2012-04-25 Olympus Corp Transducteur supersonique et procédé pour la fabrication de celui-ci
WO2007103144A2 (fr) 2006-03-02 2007-09-13 Visualsonics Inc. Couche d'adaptation ultrasonore et transducteur associé
EP2004064A2 (fr) * 2006-03-02 2008-12-24 VisualSonics Inc. Couche d'adaptation ultrasonore et transducteur associé
EP2004064A4 (fr) * 2006-03-02 2012-05-02 Visualsonics Inc Couche d'adaptation ultrasonore et transducteur associé
CN104045979A (zh) * 2014-06-30 2014-09-17 哈尔滨工业大学 一种基于氧化石墨烯改进背衬材料吸声性能的方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0190948A3 (en) 1987-08-12
EP0190948B1 (fr) 1992-01-22
DE3683509D1 (de) 1992-03-05

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