JP2000165996A - Method and device for forming conductive pattern, ultrasonic transducer, and ultrasonic image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily eliminate unnecessary conductive material after depositing the conductive material over the entire surface by preliminarily depositing a material for blocking the deposition of the conductive material to an object as a pattern corresponding to a negative print of a conductive pattern and depositing the conductive material to the object deposited with. SOLUTION: A screen printer prints a deposition inhibitor 206 such as oils and fats and metallic oxide paste as a pattern corresponding to a negative print of an electrode pattern. A sputtering device sputters conductive material such as gold and silver on th surface of a 1-3 composite piezoelectric material 200 subjected to screen printing. The conductive material is deposited onto the end face in the part where the edge faces of piezoelectric material 202 are exposed, and it is accumulated on the part that is covered with the inhibitor 206 and is not deposited to it directly. The inhibitor 206 printed on the surface of the material 200 is removed by an ultrasonic cleaning device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a conductive pattern (p
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming a pattern, an ultrasonic transducer, and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus.
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming a conductive pattern according to g), an ultrasonic transducer having an electrode formed by sputtering, and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus using such an ultrasonic transducer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A 1-3 composite piezoelectric material is used, for example, as an ultrasonic transducer for ultrasonic imaging. FIG.
As schematically shown in FIG. 1, the 1-3 composite piezoelectric material 200 is
A plurality of one-dimensional (bar-shaped) piezoelectric materials 202 are embedded in a three-dimensional (plate-shaped) non-piezoelectric material 204. The longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric material 202 is the non-piezoelectric material 20.
4 in the thickness direction.

For example, the thickness of the non-piezoelectric material 204 is
When the thickness is about 0 μm, the length of the piezoelectric material 202 is equal to the plate thickness, the thickness is about several tens μm, and the piezoelectric materials 202 are two-dimensionally arranged at a pitch of about twice the thickness.

As the piezoelectric material 202, for example, PZT (lead zirconium titanate (Ti) (Zr)) ceramics (ceramics) is used, and a non-piezoelectric material 204 is used.
For example, a resin polymer is used. When such a composite piezoelectric material is used as an ultrasonic transducer for ultrasonic imaging, an electrode is provided for each piezoelectric material 202 to form a two-dimensional array.

The electrodes are attached by attaching a conductive material to each piezoelectric material 202 by sputtering or the like. At the time of sputtering, the piezoelectric material 202
The conductive material is deposited by selective sputtering using a mask having holes corresponding to the above arrangement.

Alternatively, after the entire surface is once sputtered without using a mask, unnecessary portions are removed by photoetching, or the grooves are cut by dicing to separate the electrodes individually.

[0007]

When an electrode is formed by selective sputtering, there is a problem that a precise mask having many fine holes is required. Further, when unnecessary portions are removed after the entire surface is sputtered, such a mask is not required, but there is a problem that precise post-processing is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for forming a conductive pattern in which an unnecessary portion can be easily removed after a conductive material is deposited on the entire surface. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to realize an ultrasonic transducer on which a conductive pattern of an electrode is formed, and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus using such an ultrasonic transducer.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems (1) According to a first aspect of the present invention, a conductive material is deposited on an object to form a conductive pattern. Is attached to the object as a pattern corresponding to a negative image of the conductive pattern, the conductive material is attached to the object to which the substance has been attached, and then the substance is removed. It is a forming method.

In the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the conductive material is deposited by sputtering in order to surely adhere the conductive material. Further, in the first invention, it is preferable that the substance that prevents the adhesion of the conductive material is an oily substance in that the removal is easy.

(2) A second invention for solving the above problems is a conductive pattern forming apparatus for forming a conductive pattern by adhering a conductive material to an object, wherein the substance for preventing the adhesion of the conductive material is provided. Substance attaching means for attaching the object as a pattern corresponding to the negative of the conductive pattern, conductive material attaching means for attaching the conductive material to the object to which the substance is attached, and the object after the conductive material is attached And a substance removing means for removing the substance from the object.

[0012] In the second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the substance attaching means is a screen printing device from the viewpoint of securely attaching a negative of the conductive pattern. Further, in the second invention, it is preferable that the conductive material attaching means is a sputtering device from the viewpoint of securely attaching the conductive material.

Further, in the second invention, it is preferable that the substance removing means is an ultrasonic cleaning device from the viewpoint of reliably removing the adhesion inhibiting substance. (3) A third invention for solving the above-mentioned problem is an ultrasonic transducer having a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged in an array, wherein the plurality of piezoelectric elements have conductive patterns of electrodes. An ultrasonic transducer formed by the method described above.

(4) According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an ultrasonic transducer having a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged in an array, and an image is formed based on ultrasonic waves received by the ultrasonic transducer. And an image generating means for generating the ultrasonic image, wherein the plurality of piezoelectric elements in the ultrasonic transducer have conductive patterns of electrodes formed by the method according to claim 1. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus characterized by the following.

In the third or fourth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the piezoelectric element is a piezoelectric material in a 1-3 composite piezoelectric material in terms of constituting a two-dimensional array ultrasonic transducer.

(Function) In the first invention to the fourth invention, the removal of the substance forming a negative of the conductive pattern is accompanied by
A conductive pattern is formed by the conductive material remaining on the object.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of a process of forming an electrode pattern on a composite piezoelectric material. This step is an example of an embodiment of the method of the present invention. This step includes an adhesion inhibitor application step 102, a conductive material adhesion step 104, and an adhesion inhibitor removal step 106.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an apparatus for forming an electrode pattern on a composite piezoelectric material. This apparatus is an example of an embodiment of the conductive pattern forming apparatus of the present invention. The apparatus includes a screen printing device 302, a sputtering device 304, and an ultrasonic cleaning device 306.

The composite piezoelectric material is an example of the embodiment of the object in the present invention. The object is not limited to the composite piezoelectric material, and may be, for example, a quartz oscillator, a printed circuit board, or another object to which a conductive pattern is attached. Hereinafter, an example of a composite piezoelectric material will be described, but the same applies to other types of objects.

The electrode pattern is an example of an embodiment of the conductive pattern according to the present invention. The conductive pattern is not limited to an electrode pattern, and may be a pattern of an appropriate electric circuit. In the following, an example of an electrode pattern will be described, but the same applies to other conductive patterns. Less than,
The formation of the electrodes on the composite piezoelectric material will be described along the steps.

(Adhesion Inhibitor Applying Step 102) In this step, a process of applying an adhesion inhibitor for preventing the conductive material from adhering to the electrode forming surface of the composite piezoelectric material is performed. The adhesion inhibitor is an example of an embodiment of the substance that inhibits adhesion of a conductive material in the present invention. As the adhesion inhibitor, for example, fats and oils, metal oxide paste, and the like are used. Further, oil-based ink (ink) or the like may be used. These are preferable in that they are easily removed as described below.

Such an adhesion inhibitor is printed (applied) by, for example, the screen printing device 302 as a pattern corresponding to a negative image of the electrode pattern. Thereby, as schematically shown in FIG. 3, the surface of the 1-3 composite piezoelectric material 200 is changed to the adhesion preventing agent 206 except for the end surface of the piezoelectric material 202.
Covered with. The screen printing device 302 is an example of an embodiment of the substance attaching unit according to the present invention. The screen printing device 302 is preferable in that a precise pattern is reliably printed by a simple means. The substance attaching means is not limited to the screen printing device, and may be, for example, an ink jet printer.
For example, an appropriate substance coating device may be used.

(Conductive Material Adhering Step 104) In this step,
1-3 composite piezoelectric material 20 subjected to the above screen printing
A conductive material is sputtered on the surface of the “0” by the sputtering device 304. No mask is used for sputtering. Thereby, as schematically shown in FIG.
The conductive material 208 is formed on the entire surface of the 1-3 composite piezoelectric material 200.
Adheres. The sputtering apparatus 304 is an example of an embodiment of the conductive material attaching means in the present invention. The sputtering device is preferable in that the conductive material is surely attached. The means for applying the conductive material is not limited to the sputtering apparatus, and an appropriate conductive material applying apparatus such as a vacuum evaporation apparatus may be used. As the conductive material 208, for example, gold, copper, or another appropriate conductive material is used. The conductive material 208 is an example of an embodiment of the conductive material in the present invention.

The sputtered conductive material 208 is
At the portion where the end face of the piezoelectric material 202 is exposed, it adheres to the end face of the piezoelectric material. On the other hand, the portion covered with the adhesion inhibitor 206 accumulates on the adhesion inhibitor 206,
There is no direct adhesion to the surface of the 1-3 composite piezoelectric material 200.

(Step of Removing Adhesion Inhibitor 106) In this step, a process of removing the adhesion inhibitor 206 from the surface of the 1-3 composite piezoelectric material 200 subjected to the above-described sputtering is performed. For removing the adhesion inhibitor 206, for example, an ultrasonic cleaning device 306 is used. The ultrasonic cleaning device 306 is an example of an embodiment of the substance removing unit according to the present invention. The ultrasonic cleaning device 306 is preferable in that the adhesion inhibitor 206 is reliably removed by a simple means. The substance removing means is not limited to the ultrasonic cleaning device, but may be, for example, a surface wiping device or a surface rubbing device provided with an appropriate cleaning roller.

By ultrasonic cleaning, 1-3 composite piezoelectric material 2
The adhesion inhibitor 206 printed on the surface of the sheet No. 00 is peeled off together with the conductive material 208 deposited thereon and removed. The same applies when the surface is wiped or rubbed. On the other hand, the conductive material 208 sputtered on the end face of the piezoelectric material 202 adheres much more strongly than the printed adhesion inhibitor 206, and thus does not peel off by ultrasonic cleaning or the like.

Therefore, when the ultrasonic cleaning is completed, only the conductive material 208 adhered to the end face of the piezoelectric material 202 remains, for example, as shown in FIG. That is, 1-3
The composite piezoelectric material 200 has an electrode for each piezoelectric material 202.

On the opposite surface of the 1-3 composite piezoelectric material 200, the conductive material 208 is directly sputtered to form a common electrode on the entire surface. This common electrode is a common electrode when a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers is formed using the 1-3 composite piezoelectric material 200. In contrast, the individual electrodes described above are active (ac
active). It is needless to say that the common electrode side may be an individual electrode in the same manner as described above, if necessary.

Thus, the 1-3 composite piezoelectric material 20
A fine electrode pattern can be formed on the zero. Since a precise mask or the like is not used when sputtering the conductive material 208 as in the related art, manufacturing cost can be reduced. Although the printing of the negative of the electrode pattern requires a certain degree of precision, it can be realized at a much lower cost than when a sputtering mask is used.

Further, since unnecessary portions after the entire surface sputtering can be removed simply by performing ultrasonic cleaning or the like, precise photo-etching and mechanical processing as in the related art become unnecessary, and the cost is reduced.

An ultrasonic transducer 220 having a two-dimensional array of piezoelectric elements 210 is formed, for example, as schematically shown in FIG. 6, using the 1-3 composite piezoelectric material 200 provided with electrodes as shown in FIG. . The piezoelectric element 210 corresponds to the piezoelectric material 202 in FIG. The ultrasonic transducer 220 is an example of an embodiment of the ultrasonic transducer of the present invention. The piezoelectric element 210 is an example of an embodiment of the piezoelectric element according to the present invention. It is preferable to reinforce the electrodes by further laminating a conductive material on each electrode by, for example, electroless plating or the like, from the viewpoint of increasing the mechanical strength of the signal line connection portion. Of course, a part of the 1-3 composite piezoelectric material shown in FIG. 5 may be cut out to form a one-dimensional array ultrasonic transducer.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic imaging apparatus using such an ultrasonic transducer. This apparatus is an example of an embodiment of the ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to the present invention. This device has an ultrasonic probe 2. The ultrasonic probe 2 includes the ultrasonic transducer 220 shown in FIG.
Having. The ultrasonic probe 2 is used in contact with the subject 4. The ultrasonic probe 2 scans a three-dimensional area inside the subject 4 with an ultrasonic beam and receives an echo.

The ultrasonic probe 2 is connected to the transmitting / receiving unit 6. The transmission / reception unit 6 supplies a drive signal to the ultrasonic probe 2 to transmit ultrasonic waves. The transmitting / receiving unit 6 also receives the echo signal received by the ultrasonic probe 2. The transmission / reception unit 6 scans a three-dimensional area in the subject 4 by sequentially switching the directions of sound rays for ultrasonic transmission / reception (sca).
n). When the ultrasonic probe 2 uses a one-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, the two-dimensional area is scanned by sequentially switching the directions of sound rays.

The transmitting / receiving unit 6 is connected to the echo processing unit 8. The transmission / reception unit 6 inputs an echo reception signal for each sound ray to the echo processing unit 8. The echo processor 8 forms image data (data) for each sound ray based on the echo reception signal. That is, by performing logarithmic amplification and envelope detection of the echo reception signal, a signal representing the intensity of the echo at each reflection point on the sound ray, that is, an A scope (scope)
A signal is obtained, and image data is formed using the instantaneous amplitude of the A scope signal as a luminance value. Alternatively, the Doppler shift of the echo reception signal (Doppler sh)
ift) is detected, and dynamic image data relating to, for example, a blood flow velocity is generated based on the detected ift).

The echo processor 8 is connected to the image processor 10. The image processing unit 10 generates a three-dimensional image based on the image data input from the echo processing unit 8. Alternatively, a C-mode (mode) image is generated based on echo data sampled at a predetermined distance in the sound ray direction. When the ultrasonic transducer is a one-dimensional array, a B-mode image is generated.

The display unit 12 is connected to the image processing unit 10. The display unit 12 is provided with an image signal from the image processing unit 10, and displays an image based on the image signal. Display 12
Is, for example, a graphic display.
display).

The above-described ultrasonic probe 2, transmitting / receiving unit 6,
A control unit 14 is connected to the echo processing unit 8, the image processing unit 10, and the display unit 12. The control unit 14 gives a control signal to each of these units to control the operation. Control unit 1
Various information signals are input to 4 from the controlled units. Under the control of the control unit 14, ultrasonic imaging is performed, and a three-dimensional image or a C-mode image is captured.

An operation unit 16 is connected to the control unit 14. The operation unit 16 is, for example, a keyboard (keyboard).
d) and an operation panel equipped with other operation tools (pane
l). The operation unit 16 is operated by the operator
Is used to input desired commands, information, and the like.

[0039]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, there is provided a method and apparatus for forming a conductive pattern in which an unnecessary portion can be easily removed after a conductive material is deposited on the entire surface. An ultrasonic transducer on which a pattern is formed, and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus using such an ultrasonic transducer can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a conductive pattern forming process according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conductive pattern forming apparatus according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a workpiece in the middle of the step shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a workpiece in the middle of the step shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a workpiece having a conductive pattern formed by the process shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an ultrasonic transducer according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a 1-3 composite piezoelectric material.

[Explanation of symbols]

 302 Screen printing device 304 Sputtering device 306 Ultrasonic cleaning device 200 1-3 Composite piezoelectric material 202 Piezoelectric material 204 Non-piezoelectric material 206 Adhesion inhibitor 208 Conductive material 210 Piezoelectric element 220 Ultrasonic transducer 2 Ultrasonic probe 4 Subject 6 Transmitter / receiver Reference Signs List 8 echo processing unit 10 image processing unit 12 display unit 14 control unit 16 operation unit

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Atsushi Morimoto 127-7 Asahigaoka 4-chome, Hino-shi, Tokyo F-term (reference) 2G047 EA16 GB02 GB21 GB32 4C301 EE17 GB10 GB18 GB33 5D019 AA26 BB02 BB10 BB19 BB25 FF04 HH02

Claims (4)

[Claims] When a conductive material is attached to an object to form a conductive pattern, a substance that prevents the attachment of the conductive material is attached to the object in advance as a pattern corresponding to a negative image of the conductive pattern. A method of forming a conductive pattern, comprising: attaching the conductive material to the object to which the substance has been attached, and then removing the substance. 2. A conductive pattern forming apparatus for forming a conductive pattern by adhering a conductive material to an object, wherein the substance that prevents the adhesion of the conductive material is used as a pattern corresponding to a negative of the conductive pattern. Material attaching means for attaching the conductive material to the object to which the substance is attached; and material removing means for removing the substance from the object after the conductive material is attached. A conductive pattern forming apparatus, comprising: 3. An ultrasonic transducer having a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged in an array, wherein the plurality of piezoelectric elements have conductive patterns of electrodes formed by the method according to claim 1. An ultrasonic transducer, characterized in that: 4. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic transducer having a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged in an array; and an image generating means for generating an image based on ultrasonic waves received by the ultrasonic transducer. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus, wherein: the plurality of piezoelectric elements in the ultrasonic transducer have conductive patterns of electrodes formed by the method according to claim 1.