JP3602684B2 - Ultrasonic transducer and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic transducer used for a medical or non-destructive inspection ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and a method for manufacturing the same.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As shown in the "Medical Ultrasound Equipment Handbook", Corona (first edition, April 20, 1985), page 187, etc., an array type ultrasonic transducer has electrodes formed on both surfaces on the rear brake material as shown in p. Dozens to hundreds of minute piezoelectric elements (unit elements) made of a piezoelectric ceramic plate are arranged, and an acoustic matching layer and an acoustic lens are integrated.
[0003]
The ultrasonic transducer is driven by applying a driving pulse of a voltage of about one hundred to several hundred volts from a pulser (not shown) selectively and with an arbitrary delay time to the unit elements arranged as described above. In this case, the unit element is rapidly formed by the inverse piezoelectric effect, whereby the excited ultrasonic pulse is oscillated through the acoustic matching layer and the acoustic lens.
[0004]
Further, the emitted ultrasonic pulse is reflected at an interface between tissues in the body for medical use, and after being reflected from a discontinuous portion such as a scratch inside the object to be measured for non-destructive inspection, the acoustic lens and The light re-enters the unit element through the acoustic matching layer and is mechanically vibrated.
[0005]
Such mechanical vibration is converted into an electric signal by a piezoelectric action and sent to an observation device (not shown). When transmitting and receiving the ultrasonic pulse, the free vibration of the unit element is regulated by the rear braking member, so that the resolution in the traveling direction of the ultrasonic wave is improved.
[0006]
The transmission and reception of the ultrasonic pulse are sequentially switched with respect to the unit element group, thereby scanning a target portion such as an object to be measured, thereby obtaining an ultrasonic tomographic image.
[0007]
At present, the unit element is extremely small, having a thickness of several tens to several hundreds μm × a few tens to several hundred μm in width × a few mm in length. The dimension of the dividing groove, which is the gap between the two, is extremely small, about several tens of μm.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
One of the problems in the array type ultrasonic transducer described above is crosstalk (interference) between unit elements. If the crosstalk is large, even if it is selectively driven, the unselected unit elements will transmit ultrasonic waves while weak, or the ultrasonic pulse other than the received signal will be superimposed during reception, and the apparent pulse width will increase. For example, a signal which should not be received is received and a virtual image (artifact) is formed, which causes problems such as a decrease in resolution, a deterioration in image reliability, and a deterioration in image quality.
[0009]
The above-mentioned crosstalk includes acoustic crosstalk in which mechanical vibration is transmitted and received between adjacent or nearby unit elements, and electromagnetic wave generated by the piezoelectric effect from the vibration of the unit element received by another unit element. There is electromagnetic crosstalk due to vibration due to the inverse piezoelectric effect.
[0010]
With respect to acoustic crosstalk, it is common practice to fill the divided grooves with a resin having a high ultrasonic attenuating property or a matrix of a resin and a filler to attenuate and reduce vibration. However, this alone cannot reduce electromagnetic crosstalk, and it is difficult to completely prevent image quality from deteriorating.
[0011]
For this reason, the division grooves are filled with an insulating resin, and a conductor-embedding groove is formed again here, and a conductor film, specifically, a conductive adhesive or a metal foil is inserted into the conductor-embedding groove. A method of preventing electromagnetic crosstalk by setting a ground potential is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-4397.
[0012]
The ability to shield electromagnetic noise by interposing a member having a ground potential is widely used in general electronic devices such as computers and home electric appliances, and has been confirmed to be effective.
[0013]
However, in the array-type ultrasonic transducer, as described above, since the dividing groove has a width of several tens of μm and a depth of several hundreds to several hundreds, the thickness of the conductive film in the conductive sealing groove is reduced. Is extremely difficult to form.
[0014]
Specifically, among the methods disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-4397, the method of embedding the conductive resin includes a method of dispersing a large amount of conductive resin in the resin in order to impart conductivity. Filler is agglomerated in the conductor embedding groove having a width of several tens μm or less to block the flow of the entire resin, a decrease in resistance to heat cycles and heat shock due to the remaining voids, There is a problem that a conductor film having a size cannot be formed.
[0015]
At the same time, inside the conductive resin, there are extremely many interfaces between the resin constituting the conductive resin and the conductive filler, so that property deterioration due to peeling or swelling is more likely to occur as compared with a general resin, and water resistance and aging There is a problem in resistance to change.
[0016]
Further, regarding the method of embedding the metal foil as a conductor film, since the thickness of the metal foil is several tens μm or less, and the outer shape is a fine ribbon shape of several tens to several hundred μm × several mm, Obviously, the handling of the metal foil becomes difficult, and the manufacturing process becomes extremely difficult, considering that one array ultrasonic transducer requires several tens to several hundreds of metal foils.
[0017]
In particular, in a matrix type array in which unit elements are arranged in a two-dimensional arrangement, industrial application is almost impossible. This is not only the case of the linear array type ultrasonic transducer disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-4397, but also the convex array (also referred to as a curved linear array) which is currently frequently used in the body surface and the body in the medical field. In (2), the above-described difficulty is further increased because the work target portion is not a flat surface.
[0018]
In addition, for radial arrays that are considered to be effective for in-vivo applications in the medical field and for inspections from inside tubules in the industrial field, the curvature is not much larger and the deviation from a flat surface is longer, making application difficult. Extremely large.
[0019]
In particular, in the above-described matrix type array, in-vivo use, and inside a thin tube, it is essential to reduce the size of the ultrasonic transducer, and therefore, the sensitivity is substantially improved by improving the S / N ratio by reducing crosstalk. Improvement is indispensable, and the difficulty of the manufacturing process described above is a major problem.
[0020]
In order to avoid these difficulties, if the dividing groove is widened, the number and actual area of the unit elements decrease, so that the electrical impedance per unit element increases, the resolution decreases, the gain decreases, etc. Problems arise. If the width of the groove for encapsulating the conductor is increased while the width of the division groove is kept constant, the withstand voltage between the conductor film and the drive electrode may be insufficient, and a drive pulse of a sufficient voltage may be applied. And the output of the transmitted ultrasonic wave may be insufficient.
[0021]
Also, if the metal foil is not placed at the center of the groove and is in contact with or extremely close to the unit element, in addition to the above-mentioned insufficient withstand voltage, the vibration of the unit element may be restricted, and the sound field may be restricted. There is a possibility that problems such as disturbance of the signal, a decrease in gain, and extension of the pulse width may occur.
[0022]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an ultrasonic transducer capable of reducing electromagnetic crosstalk and improving the image quality of an ultrasonic image without deteriorating the sensitivity, reliability, and productivity of the ultrasonic transducer, and manufacturing the same. It is intended to provide a method.
[0023]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements having electrodes formed on both surfaces, one driving electrode connected to one electrode, and a common grounding lead connected to the other electrode. In an ultrasonic transducer having a back braking member on which the piezoelectric element is provided and at least one acoustic matching layer provided on the piezoelectric element, an electrical insulating member provided between the piezoelectric elements and an electrical insulating member provided on the electrical insulating member. A film forming groove provided at least on the electrode side of the piezoelectric element to which the ground lead wire is connected, and provided in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element, and the inner surface of the film forming groove is connected to the ground lead wire. It is characterized by having a conductive thin film continuously formed by a vapor phase method on an electrode of a piezoelectric element.
[0024]
The invention according to claim 2 includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements having electrodes formed on both surfaces, one driving electrode connected to each electrode, and a common grounding lead connected to the other electrode, A rear brake member on which the piezoelectric element is disposed, at least one acoustic matching layer provided on the piezoelectric element, and a housing having a conductor portion and containing the piezoelectric element, the rear brake member, and the acoustic matching layer; An ultrasonic transducer having an electric insulating member provided between the piezoelectric elements, and a state in which at least the electrode side of the piezoelectric element to which the ground lead is connected is open to the electric insulating member, and the piezoelectric element has a thickness direction. And a conductive thin film continuously formed on the inner surface of the film forming groove and the conductor of the housing by a vapor phase method.
[0025]
The invention according to claim 3 includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements having electrodes formed on both surfaces, one driving electrode connected to one electrode, and a common grounding lead connected to the other electrode, In a manufacturing method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer having a back braking member on which the piezoelectric element is provided and at least one acoustic matching layer provided on the piezoelectric element, at least one of the back braking member and the acoustic matching layer and a piezoelectric element Integrating the piezoelectric element with the piezoelectric element, forming a plurality of piezoelectric elements by providing a dividing groove in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element, providing an electric insulating member in the dividing groove, Providing a film-forming groove in the thickness direction of the substrate, providing a conductive thin film continuously by vapor phase method on the inner wall of the film-forming groove and the electrode to which the ground lead wire is connected, Layer of piezoelectric element A step of integrating the one that is not integral with the piezoelectric element, is characterized in that it has a.
[0026]
The invention according to claim 4 includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements having electrodes formed on both surfaces, one driving electrode connected to one electrode, and a common grounding lead connected to the other electrode, An ultrasonic wave comprising: a rear braking member on which the piezoelectric element is provided; at least one acoustic matching layer provided on the piezoelectric element; and a housing having a conductor portion and containing the piezoelectric element, the rear braking member, and the acoustic matching layer. In a method for manufacturing a transducer, a step of integrating a piezoelectric element with at least one of a back brake material and an acoustic matching layer, and a step of providing a plurality of piezoelectric elements by providing a dividing groove in a thickness direction of the piezoelectric element. Providing an electrically insulating member in the divided groove, providing a film-forming groove in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element in the electrically insulating member, and providing a back brake material and an acoustic matching layer that are not integrated with the piezoelectric element. The pressure It is characterized in that a step of integrating the elements.
[0027]
In the ultrasonic transducer according to the first aspect of the present invention, an electric insulating member provided between the piezoelectric elements and a groove formed on the electrode side of the piezoelectric element to which at least a grounding lead wire is connected are formed in the electric insulating member. Electromagnetic crosstalk between each piezoelectric element is prevented by providing a conductive thin film continuously formed by a vapor phase method on the inner surface of this groove and the electrode of the piezoelectric element to which the ground lead wire is connected, provided in the thickness direction of the element. .
[0028]
An ultrasonic transducer according to a second aspect of the present invention is an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: an electrical insulating member provided between each piezoelectric element; and a groove in which at least an electrode side of the piezoelectric element to which the ground lead is connected is opened in the electrical insulating member. Are provided in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element, and electromagnetic crosstalk between the piezoelectric elements is prevented by the inner surface of the groove and a conductor thin film continuously formed on the conductor portion of the housing by a vapor phase method.
[0029]
Further, according to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: integrating at least one of the back brake material and the acoustic matching layer with the piezoelectric element; To multiple. An electric insulating member is provided in the divided groove, and a film forming groove in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element is provided in the electric insulating member. A conductive thin film is continuously provided on the inner wall of the film forming groove and the electrode to which the ground lead wire is connected by a vapor phase method. And it integrates with the piezoelectric element of a back brake material and an acoustic matching layer.
[0030]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer, comprising integrating a piezoelectric element with at least one of a rear braking member and an acoustic matching layer, and providing a plurality of piezoelectric elements by providing a dividing groove in a thickness direction of the piezoelectric element. Into pieces. An electric insulating member is provided in the divided groove, and a film forming groove in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element is provided in the electric insulating member. A conductive thin film is continuously provided on the inner wall of the film forming groove and the conductor of the housing by a vapor phase method. Then, one of the back braking member and the acoustic matching layer that is not integrated with the piezoelectric element is integrated with the piezoelectric element.
[0031]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of an ultrasonic transducer and a method of manufacturing the same according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0032]
(Embodiment 1)
[Constitution]
First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, on both surfaces of the piezoelectric element 23 of the first embodiment, the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 (electrode to which the grounding lead wire is connected) and the piezoelectric element back surface by silver baking on both surfaces of the piezoelectric material 1. The electrode 3 (the electrode to which the drive lead wire is connected) is formed. A flexible printed circuit board 5 on which an electrode pattern is formed at a pitch corresponding to the arrangement pitch is connected to the piezoelectric element back electrode 3.
[0033]
Further, the back braking member 4 is formed of an epoxy resin in which zirconia particles and microballoons are dispersed.
The following description will be made with arrow X shown in FIG. 1 defined as a length direction, arrow Y defined as a width direction, and arrow Z defined as a thickness direction.
[0034]
[Production method]
Next, a method for manufacturing the piezoelectric element 23 according to the first embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the rear braking member 4 is joined to the piezoelectric element rear electrode 3 constituting the piezoelectric element 23 with an epoxy-based low-viscosity adhesive (not shown) to form a laminate 47. At this time, the position of the rear brake material concave portion 6 provided on the rear brake material 4 and the position of the flexible printed board 5 connected to the piezoelectric element back electrode 3 are matched, and the thickness of the flexible printed board 5 is reduced. The adhesive layer between the back electrode 3 and the back brake material 4 is not affected.
[0035]
After joining the piezoelectric element back electrode 3 and the back braking member 4, as shown in FIG. 2, a predetermined number of piezoelectric element dividing grooves 8 in the thickness direction with respect to the piezoelectric element 23 are reached until a part of the back braking member 4 is reached. The piezoelectric element 23 is provided to divide the piezoelectric element 23 into a plurality of piezoelectric elements (hereinafter, referred to as “unit elements 7”).
[0036]
After the division step, as shown in FIG. 3, an electric insulating resin is filled in the piezoelectric element dividing groove 8 as an electric insulating member 9 (such as silicon rubber) and solidified. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4, a film-forming groove 10 is formed substantially in the center of the electric insulating member 9 in the thickness direction.
[0037]
After forming the film forming groove 10, as shown in FIG. 5, the first layer from the inner wall side is formed on the surface of the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2, the surface of the electrical insulating member 9, and the inner wall of the film forming groove 10. Is formed by a vacuum evaporation method.
[0038]
The other portions of the laminate 47 are prevented from forming a thin film by a general masking method (not shown) such as a metal foil having an opening or taping.
[0039]
Next, a method for forming the conductive thin film 11 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. First, the laminate 47 masking the surface other than the surface of the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2, the surface of the electrical insulating member 9, and the film forming groove 10 is placed in the vacuum chamber 27 of the vacuum evaporation apparatus 26 shown in FIG. , Held by a fixing jig 30 and placed at a position facing the evaporation source 28 of Cr and the evaporation source 29 of Ag. The fixing jig 30 is configured to be capable of swinging and rotating or planetary movement.
[0040]
Next, the inside of the vacuum chamber 27 is 1 × 10 ^-3 The pressure is reduced to a pressure of Pa or less. Then, the Cr evaporation source 28 is heated by the electron beam 33 generated from the electron gun 32 while swinging and rotating the stacked body 47 held by the fixing jig 30 as shown by the arrows in FIG. Then, Cr is deposited to a thickness of 100 nm on the surface of the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2, the surface of the electrically insulating member 9, and the film forming groove 10, thereby forming a first layer.
[0041]
Subsequently, by heating the resistance boat 34, the evaporation source 29 of Ag is heated to form a 500 nm-thick Ag film on the surface of the first layer to form a second layer.
[0042]
After the first layer and the second layer are formed, as shown in FIG. 7, each film forming groove 10 is filled with a sealing resin 21, and a ground lead 48 common to the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 of each unit element 7 is formed. Are connected by solder or a conductive adhesive. Then, a first acoustic matching layer 14 made of a glass-based material and a second acoustic matching layer 15 made of an epoxy-based resin are formed on the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 to form a linear array type ultrasonic transducer 18. .
[0043]
The linear array type ultrasonic transducer 18 is housed in a case (not shown), and is driven by connecting the flexible printed circuit board 5 and the ground lead 48 to a driving device and an observation device (both not shown) via a cable. It becomes possible.
[0044]
[Action]
The conductor thin film 11 of the linear array type ultrasonic transducer 18 of the first embodiment is connected to the ground potential via the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 and has an electromagnetic wave shielding function. Note that Cr in the first layer of the conductive thin film 11 functions as an adhesion layer for improving the adhesion of Ag to the second layer.
[0045]
[effect]
By electromagnetically shielding between the unit elements 7 of the linear array type ultrasonic transducer 18 by the conductive thin film 11, electromagnetic crosstalk between the unit elements 7 is shielded. Thereby, the S / N ratio is improved, and the image quality of the ultrasonic image obtained by the linear array type ultrasonic transducer 18 is improved.
[0046]
In the vacuum deposition method, since the mean free path of the deposition material is generally long, the step coverage is considered to be poor, and the film is formed on the inner wall of the film forming groove 10 having a high aspect ratio as in the first embodiment. However, as described in the first embodiment, the fixing jig 30 is swung and rotated or planetary-moved, so that the inner wall of the film forming groove 10 is uniformly formed. The thin film 11 is formed.
[0047]
Further, in the first embodiment, the first acoustic matching layer 14 is shown as a continuous glass-based material. However, for example, as shown in FIG. After the insulating member is sealed, the conductive thin film 11 can be formed as in the first embodiment.
[0048]
Thus, acoustic crosstalk between the unit elements 7 can be effectively shielded, which leads to further improvement in image quality. The material of the first acoustic matching layer 14 is not only a glass material represented by machinable ceramics, but also an organic material such as amorphous carbon, and a fine powder made of ceramics such as alumina and zirconia, carbon, glass and the like. Can be used in which the above filler is dispersed in an epoxy-based or phenol-based resin.
[0049]
When these resins are used as the first acoustic matching layer 14, the first acoustic matching layer 14 may be directly formed on the piezoelectric element 23 by a casting method instead of the bonding as shown in the first embodiment. It is possible. In this case, the bonding layer can be practically eliminated, so that the acoustic design value can be strictly applied.
[0050]
Further, in the first embodiment, the number of acoustic matching layers is also shown as two, but it is merely representative, and it is only possible to use only one layer or to have a configuration of three or more layers. Needless to say. It is needless to say that the acoustic lens can be integrated on the acoustic matching layer as is generally performed.
[0051]
Examples of the piezoelectric material 1 include, in addition to commonly used piezoelectric ceramics, a composite piezoelectric material in which a columnar body or powder of a piezoelectric element is dispersed in a resin matrix, and a polymer piezoelectric material represented by PVDF. Can be used. In these cases, the acoustic matching layer is often composed of about one layer also serving as a protective layer.
[0052]
Similarly, as the material of the piezoelectric element emission surface electrode 2 and the piezoelectric element back electrode 3, in addition to the silver (Ag) printing electrode described in the first embodiment, an Ag-Pd printing electrode as generally used, Ni An electroless plating material represented by, or a sputtering composition of a metal such as Au or Cr-Ag can be used.
[0053]
Further, in the first embodiment, the piezoelectric material 1 is shown as a flat plate. However, as shown in FIG. 9, a piezoelectric material 1 having a cylindrical surface shape or the like may be used. Thus, the sound field can be focused without using the acoustic lens layer. As a result, attenuation by the acoustic lens layer can be avoided, and a highly sensitive ultrasonic transducer can be obtained.
[0054]
Further, in this case, it is effective to form the rear braking member 4 by casting to reduce the residual stress and eliminate the bonding layer. When a composite piezoelectric material or a polymer piezoelectric material is used as the piezoelectric material 1 as described above, since these are flexible, they are integrated so as to be in close contact with the rear braking material 4 which has been previously formed into a concave surface. , The configuration described above.
[0055]
As the material of the back braking member 4, a material in which a filler is dispersed in a resin matrix as described in the first embodiment is often used. Examples of the matrix include epoxy resins having various hardnesses. And rubber-based materials such as silicone rubber and chloroprene rubber, and examples of the filler include alumina, tungsten oxide, and ferrite in addition to zirconia and microballoons described in the first embodiment.
[0056]
The material of the conductive thin film 11 may be a single metal such as Au, Pd, Pt, Al, In, Ti, Ni, or a multi-layered structure thereof or AuPd in addition to Cr and Ag shown in the first embodiment. , PtPd, etc., or In ₂ O ₃ And the like can be used. Other than these, there is no particular problem in use as long as the material is conductive and can be formed into a film by a vacuum evaporation method.
[0057]
In addition, as the method for forming the conductive thin film 11, in addition to the method using the vacuum evaporation method described in the first embodiment, a gas phase method such as an ion beam assisted evaporation method or an ion plating method can be used. Further, in the first embodiment, the film forming groove 10 is cut deeper than the piezoelectric element back electrode 3 of the piezoelectric element 23, but is stopped by cutting to an intermediate level of the piezoelectric material 1 as shown in FIG. 10, for example. It is also possible. In this case, although the ability to prevent electromagnetic crosstalk is lower than in the case shown in the first embodiment, the insulation between the conductive thin film 11 and the piezoelectric element back electrode 3 is ensured, and The width of the film groove 10 can be made closer to the piezoelectric element dividing groove 8. For this reason, in the case of realizing a small-sized array ultrasonic transducer, even when the piezoelectric element dividing groove 8 is made sufficiently narrow, the formation of the film forming groove 10 and the formation of the conductive thin film 11 can be performed. Electromagnetic crosstalk can be prevented. Also in this case, since the conductor thin film 11 is extremely thin and has almost no load, the sound field, sensitivity, pulse width, and the like are not affected, and the image quality of the obtained ultrasonic image is effectively improved.
[0058]
In order to keep the vibration mode of the unit element 7 ideal, in a case where each unit element 7 is further divided into a plurality of secondary elements (called a sub dice) as is generally performed, the present embodiment is performed. Obviously, the conductive thin film 11 shown in the first embodiment may be provided only between the unit elements 7 that operate individually, not between a plurality of secondary elements that operate simultaneously in principle.
[0059]
(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
Basically, it is the same as the above-described first embodiment, and therefore, the points different from the first embodiment will be mainly described in detail.
[0060]
[Constitution]
The second embodiment is characterized in that the conductor thin film 11 made of Ti having a two-layer structure is formed by a sputtering method.
[0061]
[Production method]
Hereinafter, a method for forming the conductive thin film 11 of the second embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. First, the laminated body 47 masking the surface other than the surface of the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2, the surface of the electrical insulating member 9, and the film forming groove 10 is put into the vacuum chamber 27 of the sputtering device 35, and is rotatable. It is held by the fixing jig 30 and placed at a position facing the target 36 made of Ti.
[0062]
Next, the inside of the vacuum chamber 27 is 5 × 10 ^-4 After the pressure is reduced to a pressure of Pa or less, Ar gas is introduced from the sputtering gas supply device 40 at a pressure of 1 Pa. Then, while rotating the stacked body 47 held by the fixing jig 30 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 11, DC power is supplied from the DC (direct current) power supply 38 to the cathode electrode 37 to generate plasma 39. . Then, the target 36 is sputtered, and Ti is formed to a thickness of 500 nm on the surface of the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2, the surface of the electrical insulating member 9, and the film forming groove 10, thereby forming a first layer.
[0063]
Subsequently, after introducing Ar gas at a pressure of 0.1 Pa from the sputtering gas supply device 40, sputtering is performed in the same manner as when the first layer is formed, and a Ti film having a thickness of 1000 nm is formed on the surface of the first layer. A thick film is formed to form a second layer.
[0064]
[Action]
The conductive thin film 11 according to the second embodiment is connected to the ground potential via the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 and has an electromagnetic wave shielding function. Note that the first layer of Ti of the conductive thin film 11 acts as an adhesion layer for improving the adhesion of the second layer of Ti.
[0065]
[effect]
According to the second embodiment, the following effects are obtained in addition to the effects of the first embodiment. That is, since the step coverage is generally good in the sputtering method, the conductor jig 11 is uniformly formed on the inner wall of the film forming groove 10 by providing only the rotating mechanism in the fixing jig 30.
[0066]
The material of the conductive thin film 11 may be a single metal such as Cr, Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, Al, In, or Ni, a multilayer structure of these, or AuPd, in addition to Ti shown in the second embodiment. , PtPd and other alloys and In ₂ O ₃ There is no particular problem in use as long as oxides such as these can be used, and any other conductive material that can be formed by a sputtering method can be used.
[0067]
In addition, as the method for forming the conductive thin film 11, in addition to the method using the DC sputtering method described in Embodiment 2, a gas phase method such as an RF sputtering method, an ion beam sputtering method, or an ECR sputtering method can be used. .
[0068]
(Embodiment 3)
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The third embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment described above, and therefore, the points different from the first embodiment will be mainly described in detail.
[0069]
[Constitution]
The third embodiment is characterized in that the conductive thin film 11 made of Al is formed by a plasma CVD method.
[0070]
[Production method]
Hereinafter, the method for forming the conductive thin film 11 of the third embodiment will be described in detail. First, in the vacuum chamber 27 of the plasma CVD apparatus 41 shown in FIG. 12, the laminated body 47 mounted on the fixing jig 30 is placed on the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2, the surface of the electrical insulating member 9, and the film forming groove 10. It is installed at a position facing the plasma electrode 42.
[0071]
Next, the inside of the vacuum chamber 27 is 1 × 10 ^-4 After reducing the pressure to a pressure of Pa or less, Al (CH ₃ ) ₃ With H as the reactive gas 44 ₂ Is introduced into the vacuum chamber 27 as a carrier gas 45. Next, RF power is supplied to the plasma electrode 42 from the RF power supply 46, and 0.05 w / cm ² A plasma 39 having a power density of 2 is generated to cause a chemical reaction, and Al is deposited to a thickness of 1500 nm to obtain the conductive thin film 11.
[0072]
[Action]
The conductive thin film 11 of the third embodiment is connected to the ground potential via the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 and has an electromagnetic wave shielding function.
[0073]
[effect]
According to the third embodiment, the following effects are obtained in addition to the effects described in the first embodiment. That is, in the plasma CVD method, since the step coverage is generally very good, the conductor thin film 11 is uniformly formed on the inner wall of the film forming groove 10 without giving any motion to the stacked body 47.
[0074]
As the material of the conductive thin film 11, in addition to Al shown in the third embodiment, In (C ₂ H ₅ ) ₃ Can be used to form a film of In, or a TiCl4 gas can be used to form a film of Ti. Other than these, there is no particular problem in use as long as the material is conductive and can be formed by a plasma CVD method.
[0075]
(Embodiment 4)
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The fourth embodiment is basically the same as the above-described first embodiment, and therefore, the points different from the first embodiment will be mainly described in detail.
[0076]
[Constitution]
As shown in FIG. 13, the fourth embodiment is characterized in that only the piezoelectric element back electrode 3 is formed on the piezoelectric material 1 of the piezoelectric element 23.
[0077]
[Production method]
As shown in FIG. 13, the back braking member 4 is bonded to the piezoelectric element back electrode 3 of the piezoelectric element 23 with an epoxy-based low-viscosity adhesive (not shown). After the two members are joined, as shown in FIG. 14, the piezoelectric element dividing groove 8 in the thickness direction is inserted into the piezoelectric element 23 until it reaches a part of the back brake material 4, and the piezoelectric element 23 is divided into a plurality of unit elements 7.
[0078]
After the division, similarly to the first embodiment, an electric insulating member 9 is filled in the piezoelectric element dividing groove 8, and a film forming groove 10 is formed substantially in the center of the electric insulating member 9 in the thickness direction. After forming the film forming groove 10, as shown in FIG. 15, a conductive thin film 11 is formed on the surface of the piezoelectric material 1, the surface of the electrically insulating member 9, and the inner wall of the film forming groove 10. After the conductor thin film 11 is formed, the first acoustic matching layer 14 and the second acoustic matching layer 15 are formed in the same manner as in the above embodiment, and the linear array type ultrasonic transducer 18 is obtained.
[0079]
[Action]
According to the fourth embodiment, the conductor thin film 11 formed on the surface of the piezoelectric material 1 operates as the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2.
[0080]
[effect]
According to the fourth embodiment, the following effects are obtained in addition to the effects described in the first embodiment. That is, since the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 is formed of the conductive thin film 11, it is thinner than the baked silver electrode, and there is no permeation of the glass frit into the piezoelectric material 1, so that the vibration of the piezoelectric material 1 is reduced. Since regulation is reduced, higher sensitivity can be obtained.
[0081]
(Embodiment 5)
Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The fifth embodiment is basically the same as the above-described first to fourth embodiments, and therefore, different points will be mainly described.
[0082]
[Constitution]
As shown in FIG. 16, a piezoelectric element 23 according to the fifth embodiment has a piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 and a piezoelectric element rear electrode 3 formed on both surfaces of a piezoelectric material 1 by silver baking. In the fifth embodiment, the electrodes 2 and 3 are formed so as to extend to the side surface of the piezoelectric material 1.
[0083]
[Production method]
Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the fifth embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 16, the first acoustic matching layer 14 and the second acoustic matching layer 15 are joined to the piezoelectric element emission surface electrode 2 of the piezoelectric element 23 by an epoxy-based low-viscosity adhesive (not shown). After the two members are joined, as shown in FIG. 17, the piezoelectric element 23 and the first acoustic matching layer 14 are provided with the piezoelectric element dividing grooves 8 in the thickness direction, and the piezoelectric element 23 is divided into a plurality of unit elements 7.
[0084]
Here, the piezoelectric element dividing groove 8 only needs to divide the piezoelectric element 23 at least, and does not have to reach the first acoustic matching layer 14. After being divided into a plurality of unit elements 7, the inside of the piezoelectric element dividing groove 8 is filled with an electric insulating member 9 in the same manner as in each of the above-described first to fourth embodiments, and as shown in FIG. 3 is formed.
[0085]
After the mask 12 is formed, as shown in FIG. 19, the film forming groove 10 is formed in the electric insulating member 9 in the thickness direction by cutting the mask 12 together. Next, the conductor thin film forming surface 22 shown in FIG. 19, the surrounding portion of the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 shown in FIG. 20, the surface of the electrical insulating member 9 and the inner wall of the film forming groove 10 A thin film 11 is formed.
[0086]
After the formation of the conductive thin film 11, the mask 12 is removed, and the filling with the sealing resin 21 and the formation processing of the back brake material 4 are performed in the same manner as in each of the first to fourth embodiments. An acoustic transducer 18 is obtained. When used as a convex array type ultrasonic transducer 19 described later, wiring can be easily performed in a portion of the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 and the piezoelectric element back electrode 3 which is wrapped around the side surface of the piezoelectric material 1.
[0087]
[Action]
In the fifth embodiment, by performing the bonding step between the piezoelectric element 23 and the first acoustic matching layer 14 first, the precision of the bonding step, particularly the precision of the bonding layer, can be increased.
[0088]
[effect]
According to the fifth embodiment, the following effects are obtained in addition to the effects described in the above embodiments. That is, since the first acoustic matching layer 14 can be formed on the piezoelectric element 23 in strict accordance with the design values, it is possible to reliably obtain the ultrasonic characteristics such as the spectrum width and the pulse width of the transmitted / received ultrasonic waves as the design values.
[0089]
(Embodiment 6)
Embodiment 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. The sixth embodiment is basically the same as each of the above-described embodiments, and thus only different points will be described in detail.
[0090]
[Constitution]
As shown in FIG. 21, the piezoelectric element 23 of the sixth embodiment has a piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 and a piezoelectric element rear electrode 3 by silver baking on both surfaces of the piezoelectric material 1 as in the first embodiment. Is formed. The rear braking member 4 is made of a flexible material in which zirconia particles and microballoons are dispersed in an epoxy resin having rubber elasticity, and is formed thin.
[0091]
[Production method]
Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the sixth embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 21, the first acoustic matching layer 14 and the second acoustic matching layer 15 are attached to the piezoelectric element emission surface electrode 2 of the piezoelectric element 23 by using an epoxy-based low-viscosity adhesive (not shown). To join. After the joining, the division of the piezoelectric element 23 and the filling of the electrical insulating member 9 are performed in the same manner as in the above-described embodiments.
[0092]
After the electric insulating member 9 is filled, as shown in a partial cross-sectional view in FIG. 22, the electric insulating member 9 is completely cut, and a film forming groove 10 reaching a part of the back brake material 4 is formed. After forming the film-forming groove 10, as shown in FIG. 23, the base member 16 is joined to the back surface of the back brake material 4 while being bent at the film-forming groove 10, and the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 is formed. A conductive thin film 11 is formed on the surface, the surface of the electrically insulating member 9 and the inner wall of the film forming groove 10.
[0093]
After the conductive thin film 11 is formed, the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrodes 2 of each unit element 7 are connected with a grounding lead (not shown) in the same manner as in each of the above embodiments, and then, as shown in FIG. The inside of the film groove 10 is sealed with the sealing resin 21, and the acoustic matching layer 13 is formed around the groove 10, thereby obtaining the convex array type ultrasonic transducer 19.
[0094]
[Action]
According to the sixth embodiment, the convex array type ultrasonic transducer 19 is formed on the base member 16 in a curved shape.
[0095]
[effect]
According to the sixth embodiment, the following effects are exerted in addition to the effects described in the above embodiments. That is, for a convex array (curved linear array) which is often used in the body surface and in the body in the medical field, to manufacture an ultrasonic transducer with high S / N ratio and high image quality in which electromagnetic crosstalk is shielded. Is possible.
[0096]
In the sixth embodiment, the convex array type ultrasonic transducer 19 has been described in detail. However, other non-planar array type ultrasonic transducers can be produced by the same method. For example, as shown in FIG. 25, the radial array type ultrasonic transducer 20 can be produced by using a method similar to the above-described case.
[0097]
(Embodiment 7)
Embodiment 7 will be described with reference to FIG. 26 to FIG. The seventh embodiment is basically the same as the above-described embodiments, and thus only different points will be described in detail.
[0098]
[Constitution]
As shown in FIG. 26, in the piezoelectric element 23 of the seventh embodiment, the piezoelectric element emitting surface electrode 2 and the piezoelectric element back electrode 3 are formed on both surfaces of the piezoelectric material 1 by silver baking. In the seventh embodiment, the electrodes 2 and 3 are formed so as to extend to the side surface of the piezoelectric material 1. The first acoustic matching layer 14 is made of a glass-based material, and the second acoustic matching layer 15 is made of a flexible resin film made of polyimide or the like.
[0099]
[Production method]
Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the seventh embodiment will be described. Similarly to the above-described fifth embodiment, the first acoustic matching layer 14 and the second acoustic matching layer 15 are attached to the piezoelectric element emission surface electrode 2 of the piezoelectric element 23 using an epoxy-based low-viscosity adhesive (not shown). The piezoelectric element 23 is divided and the electric insulating member 9 is filled, and the mask 12 covers the piezoelectric element back electrode 3.
[0100]
Next, as shown in FIG. 26, the mask 12 and the electrical insulating member 9 are completely cut, and the film forming groove 10 reaching a part of the second acoustic matching layer 15 is formed to obtain a stacked body 47. Further, after forming the film-forming groove 10, as shown in FIG. 27, the laminate 47 is held at a predetermined curved shape while being bent at the portion of the film-forming groove 10 by the frame 17, and the conductor The conductor thin film 11 is formed on the thin film forming surface 22, that is, on the surface of the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2, the surface of the electrical insulating member 9, and the inner wall of the film forming groove 10.
After the formation of the conductive thin film 11, as shown in FIG. 28, the mask 12, the inside of the film formation groove 10, and the inside of the piezoelectric element back electrode 3 are sealed with the back brake material 4, and the acoustic matching layer 13 is formed around the back brake material 4. , A convex array type ultrasonic transducer 19 is obtained.
[0101]
[Action]
By performing the bonding step of the piezoelectric element 23 and the first acoustic matching layer 14 according to the seventh embodiment first, the accuracy of the bonding step, particularly the bonding accuracy, is improved while the curved convex array type ultrasonic transducer is improved. 19 are configured.
[0102]
[effect]
According to the seventh embodiment, the following effects are obtained in addition to the effects described in the fifth embodiment. That is, for a convex array (curved linear array) that is often used in the body surface and in the body in the medical field, to create a high-quality S / N ratio and high-quality ultrasonic transducer in which electromagnetic crosstalk is shielded. In addition, since the first acoustic matching layer 14 can be formed on the piezoelectric element 23 strictly in accordance with the design values, the ultrasonic characteristics such as the spectrum width and pulse width of the transmitted / received ultrasonic waves exactly as designed values are strictly exhibited. Can be done.
[0103]
In the seventh embodiment, the convex type is described in detail, but it is also possible to produce another non-planar array type ultrasonic transducer by the same method. For example, as shown in FIG. 29, it is possible to produce the radial array type ultrasonic transducer 20 by adopting a manufacturing method similar to that described above.
[0104]
(Embodiment 8)
The eighth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Since the eighth embodiment is basically the same as each of the above embodiments, only different points will be described in detail.
[0105]
[Constitution]
In the eighth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 30, a piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 and a piezoelectric element back electrode 3 are formed on both surfaces of a piezoelectric material 1 in a piezoelectric element 23 by baking silver. The first acoustic matching layer 14 is made of a glass-based material.
[0106]
[Production method]
Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the eighth embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 30, the flexible printed circuit board 5 is connected to the piezoelectric element back electrode 3 of the piezoelectric element 23, and the back braking member 4 is joined. Next, the piezoelectric element 23 is divided, the electric insulating member 9 is filled, and the first acoustic matching layer 14 is joined. Next, as shown in FIG. 31, the film-forming groove 10 is formed so as to divide the first acoustic matching layer 14 and the piezoelectric element 23, and the piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode 2 of each unit element 7 is formed by the ground lead 48. Connect.
[0107]
After forming the film forming groove 10, the housing 24 is joined as shown in FIG. The casing 24 is formed by integrating a conductor 25 on the casing made of stainless steel around a resin having an electrical insulation property. The ground lead 48 is covered with the conductor 25 on the casing.
[0108]
After joining the housing 24, the conductor thin film 11 is formed on each of the inner wall of the film-forming groove 10, the first acoustic matching layer 14, and the conductor 25 on the housing as shown in FIG. After the formation of the conductive thin film 11, as shown in FIG. 34, the second acoustic matching layer 15 made of a resin material is joined on the first acoustic matching layer 14 to obtain a linear array type ultrasonic transducer 18.
[0109]
[Action]
In the eighth embodiment, shielding of electromagnetic crosstalk of the linear array type ultrasonic transducer 18 is realized by the conductor thin film 11 of the housing 24 at the ground potential.
[0110]
[effect]
According to the eighth embodiment, the following effects are exerted in addition to the effects of the respective embodiments. That is, since the electromagnetic crosstalk is shielded by the conductive thin film 11 at the ground potential of the housing 24, a more advanced electromagnetic crosstalk is shielded as compared with the case of shielding by the drive pulse and the ground potential of the transmission / reception line of the received signal. Talk can be shielded.
[0111]
The structure and steps shown in the eighth embodiment can be applied to the configurations and steps of each of the above-described embodiments by using the housing structure and the manufacturing steps described in the eighth embodiment. Of course.
[0112]
For example, in the convex ultrasonic transducer 19 configured in a non-planar manner described in the fifth and sixth embodiments, the radial array ultrasonic transducer 20 can be realized as shown in FIG. Easy.
[0113]
It should be noted that technical ideas having the following configurations can be added from the above-described specific embodiments 1 to 8.
[0114]
(Note)
(1) A plurality of piezoelectric elements are arranged, electrodes are formed on both sides, connected to a plurality of drive leads on one side, and connected to a ground potential lead on the other side; In an array type ultrasonic transducer comprising one acoustic matching layer and / or acoustic lens, an electrical insulating member is provided between each piezoelectric element, and at least a ground potential side electrode of the piezoelectric element is provided on the insulating member. A groove having an opening at a portion where the piezoelectric element is exposed and cut in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element is provided, and a conductive thin film formed by a vapor phase method is provided continuous with the inner surface of the groove and a ground potential side electrode of the piezoelectric element. An array-type ultrasonic transducer, characterized in that: According to the ultrasonic transducer described in Appendix (1), there is an effect that electromagnetic crosstalk between the piezoelectric elements can be prevented and high image quality can be obtained.
[0115]
(2) a plurality of piezoelectric elements, electrodes are formed on both sides, connected to a plurality of drive leads on one side, and connected to a ground potential lead on the other side; In an array type ultrasonic transducer comprising a single acoustic matching layer and / or acoustic lens and a housing having a conductor portion at a housing ground potential, an electric insulating member is provided between each piezoelectric element. The insulating member has an opening at least in a portion where the conductor of the housing is exposed, and a groove cut in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element is provided. The groove is continuous with the inner surface of the groove and the conductor of the housing, and formed by a vapor phase method. An array type ultrasonic transducer comprising a conductor thin film. According to the ultrasonic transducer described in the supplementary note (2), there is an effect that the electromagnetic crosstalk between the piezoelectric elements is cut off by the conductor of the housing, and high image quality can be obtained.
[0116]
(3) a plurality of piezoelectric elements, a plurality of which are arranged, electrodes are formed on both sides, connected to a plurality of drive leads on one side, and connected to a ground potential lead on the other side; In a method for manufacturing an array type ultrasonic transducer comprising one acoustic matching layer and / or acoustic lens, at least a piezoelectric element and a back brake material or an acoustic matching layer are integrated, and the piezoelectric element is divided by a dividing groove. Dividing into a plurality of piezoelectric elements, filling the divided grooves with an electrically insulating resin, forming a film forming groove in the insulating resin, forming a ground potential side surface electrode on the surface of the piezoelectric element, and forming the film. A method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer by forming a conductive thin film by a vapor phase method continuously on the inner wall of a groove and integrating other components. According to the method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer described in Appendix (3), there is an effect that a high-quality ultrasonic transducer that prevents electromagnetic crosstalk between piezoelectric elements can be manufactured.
[0117]
(4) a plurality of piezoelectric elements, electrodes are formed on both sides, connected to a plurality of drive leads on one side, and connected to a ground potential lead on the other side; In a method for manufacturing an array-type ultrasonic transducer comprising a single acoustic matching layer and / or acoustic lens and a housing having a conductor portion at a housing ground potential, at least a piezoelectric element and a rear braking member or acoustic matching are provided. The piezoelectric element is divided into a plurality of piezoelectric elements by dividing grooves, an electric insulating resin is filled in the dividing grooves, and a film forming groove is formed in the insulating resin. A method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer, comprising forming a conductor thin film by a vapor phase method continuously with a conductor on a housing and an inner wall of the film forming groove, and integrating other components. According to the method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer described in Appendix (4), there is an effect that it is possible to manufacture a high-quality ultrasonic transducer in which electromagnetic crosstalk between piezoelectric elements is blocked by a conductor of a housing.
[0118]
(5) The ultrasonic transducer according to Supplementary notes (1) to (4), wherein the vapor phase method is a plasma CVD method, a vacuum evaporation method, or a sputtering method, and a method for manufacturing the same. According to the ultrasonic transducer described in Appendix (5) and the method of manufacturing the same, there is provided an ultrasonic transducer including a conductive thin film having an advanced electromagnetic crosstalk prevention function and having an extremely small load, and a manufacturing method capable of forming the conductive thin film. It has an effect that can be provided.
[0119]
(6) The supplementary notes (1) to (1), wherein the conductive thin film is made of a material containing at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Cr, Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, Al, In, Ti and Ni. The ultrasonic transducer according to (4) and a method for manufacturing the same. According to the ultrasonic transducer described in Appendix (6) and the method of manufacturing the same, it is possible to provide an ultrasonic transducer including a conductive thin film having an advanced electromagnetic crosstalk prevention function and a manufacturing method capable of forming the conductive thin film. .
[0120]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the electromagnetic cross between each piezoelectric element is formed by the conductive thin film continuously formed on the inner surface of the groove provided in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element and the electrode of the piezoelectric element to which the ground lead wire is connected. It is possible to provide an ultrasonic transducer having an effect of preventing a talk and improving an ultrasonic image quality.
[0121]
According to the ultrasonic transducer of the second aspect, the electromagnetic crosstalk between the piezoelectric elements is reduced by the conductive thin film provided on the inner surface of the groove provided in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element in the electrically insulating member and the conductor portion of the housing. It is possible to provide an ultrasonic transducer having an effect of preventing the occurrence of an ultrasonic image with high image quality.
[0122]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer capable of obtaining a high-quality ultrasonic image by forming a conductive thin film for preventing electromagnetic crosstalk between piezoelectric elements. Can be.
[0123]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, according to the method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer, electromagnetic crosstalk between the piezoelectric elements is cut off by the conductor thin film formed on the conductor portion of the housing, and a high-quality ultrasonic image is formed. It is possible to provide a method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer that can be obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a piezoelectric element in an ultrasonic transducer according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a manufacturing process of the piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a manufacturing process of the piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a step of manufacturing the piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a vacuum evaporation apparatus for forming a conductive thin film according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a linear array type ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a linear array type ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing another example of the piezoelectric material according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of the linear array type ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a sputtering apparatus for forming a conductive thin film according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a schematic sectional view showing a plasma CVD apparatus for forming a conductive thin film according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.
FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 17 is a perspective view illustrating a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 18 is a perspective view illustrating a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 19 is a perspective view illustrating a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view showing a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 21 is a perspective view illustrating a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 22 is a perspective view illustrating a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view showing a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention.
FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing a convex array type ultrasonic transducer according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention.
FIG. 25 is a perspective view showing a radial array type ultrasonic transducer according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention.
FIG. 26 is a perspective view illustrating a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 27 is a perspective view showing a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 28 is a perspective view showing a convex array type ultrasonic transducer according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention.
FIG. 29 is a perspective view showing a radial array type ultrasonic transducer according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention.
FIG. 30 is a perspective view illustrating a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 31 is a perspective view showing a step of manufacturing a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 32 is a perspective view showing a piezoelectric element housed in a housing in the ultrasonic transducer according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view showing a film forming step for a piezoelectric element in the ultrasonic transducer according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 34 is a perspective view showing a linear array type ultrasonic transducer according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing a radial array type ultrasonic transducer according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Piezoelectric material
2 Piezoelectric element radiation surface electrode
3 Back electrode of piezoelectric element
4 Rear braking material
5 Flexible printed circuit board
6 Back brake material recess
7 Unit element
8 division groove
9 Electrical insulation members
10 Groove for film formation
11 Conductive thin film
12 Mask
13 Acoustic matching layer
14 First acoustic matching layer
15 Second acoustic matching layer
16 Base member
17 frames
18 Linear array type ultrasonic transducer
19 Convex array type ultrasonic transducer
20 Radial array type ultrasonic transducer
21 Sealing resin
22 Conductive thin film deposition surface
23 Piezoelectric element
24 housing
25 Conductor on housing
26 Vacuum evaporation equipment
27 vacuum chamber
30 Fixture
31 vacuum pump
32 electron gun
33 electron beam
35 Sputtering equipment
36 Target
41 Plasma CVD Equipment
47 laminate

Claims (4)

A plurality of piezoelectric elements having electrodes formed on both sides thereof, individual drive leads connected to one electrode, and a common ground lead connected to the other electrode;
A rear braking member for arranging the piezoelectric element,
At least one acoustic matching layer provided on the piezoelectric element;
In the ultrasonic transducer having
An electrical insulating member provided between each piezoelectric element,
A film forming groove provided in the electrical insulating member in a state where at least the electrode side of the piezoelectric element to which the ground lead wire is connected is open, and provided in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element;
A conductive thin film continuously formed by a gas phase method on an inner surface of the film forming groove and an electrode of a piezoelectric element to which a ground lead wire is connected;
An ultrasonic transducer comprising: While electrodes are formed on both sides, individual drive leads are connected to one electrode,
A plurality of piezoelectric elements having a common ground lead connected to the other electrode,
A rear braking member for arranging the piezoelectric element,
At least one acoustic matching layer provided on the piezoelectric element;
An ultrasonic transducer having a conductor portion, and a housing for housing the piezoelectric element, the rear braking member, and the acoustic matching layer,
An electrical insulating member provided between each piezoelectric element,
A film forming groove provided in the electrical insulating member in a state where at least the electrode side of the piezoelectric element to which the ground lead wire is connected is open, and provided in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element;
A conductive thin film continuously formed on the inner surface of the film-forming groove and the conductor of the housing by a vapor phase method,
An ultrasonic transducer comprising: A plurality of piezoelectric elements having electrodes formed on both sides thereof, individual drive leads connected to one electrode, and a common ground lead connected to the other electrode;
A rear braking member for arranging the piezoelectric element,
At least one acoustic matching layer provided on the piezoelectric element;
In a manufacturing method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer having
A step of integrating the piezoelectric element with at least one of the back braking member and the acoustic matching layer,
Providing a plurality of piezoelectric elements by providing a dividing groove in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element,
Providing an electrically insulating member in the dividing groove;
Providing a film-forming groove in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element in the electrically insulating member;
A step of continuously providing a conductive thin film by a vapor phase method on the inner wall of the film forming groove and the electrode to which the grounding lead wire is connected;
A step of integrating one of the back brake material and the acoustic matching layer, which is not integrated with the piezoelectric element, with the piezoelectric element,
A method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: While electrodes are formed on both sides, individual drive leads are connected to one electrode,
A plurality of piezoelectric elements having a common ground lead connected to the other electrode,
A rear braking member for arranging the piezoelectric element,
At least one acoustic matching layer provided on the piezoelectric element;
A housing having a conductor portion, in which the piezoelectric element, the rear braking member, and the acoustic matching layer are contained;
In a manufacturing method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer having
A step of integrating at least one of the back braking member and the acoustic matching layer with the piezoelectric element,
Providing a plurality of piezoelectric elements by providing a dividing groove in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element,
Providing an electrically insulating member in the dividing groove;
Providing a film-forming groove in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element in the electrically insulating member;
A step of integrating one of the back brake material and the acoustic matching layer, which is not integrated with the piezoelectric element, with the piezoelectric element,
A method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer, comprising:

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