Ultrasonic array oscillator, method of producing ultrasonic array oscillator, ultrasonic probe, and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018235574-A1
Application number	US-201615752911-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 16, 2016
Priority date	Sep 7, 2015
Publication date	Aug 23, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

[Object] To provide an ultrasonic array oscillator, a method of producing an ultrasonic array oscillator, an ultrasonic probe, and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a high impedance matching effect and excellent productivity. [Solving Means] The ultrasonic array oscillator according to the present technology includes ultrasonic oscillators ( 130 ) and semiconductor chips ( 140 ). The ultrasonic oscillators ( 130 ) form an array. The semiconductor chips ( 140 ) are bonded to the respective ultrasonic oscillators ( 130 ) to form impedance matching circuits.

First claim

1 . An ultrasonic array oscillator, comprising:
ultrasonic oscillators that form an array; and semiconductor chips bonded to the respective ultrasonic oscillators that form impedance matching circuits.

2 . The ultrasonic array oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the impedance matching circuits includes an amplifier and a TR (transmit-receive) switch.

3 . The ultrasonic array oscillator according to claim 2 , wherein
each of the semiconductor chips includes a first semiconductor chip including the amplifier and a second semiconductor chip including the TR switch.

4 . The ultrasonic array oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the semiconductor chips is an SOI (Silicon on Insulator) chip.

5 . The ultrasonic array oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein
the ultrasonic oscillators include first ultrasonic oscillators each having a first frequency as a center frequency of oscillation and second ultrasonic oscillators each having a second frequency different from the first frequency as a center frequency of oscillation.

6 . The ultrasonic array oscillator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems), the MEMS and the ultrasonic oscillators forming the array.

7 . The ultrasonic array oscillator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
optical devices, the optical devices and the ultrasonic oscillators forming the array.

8 . A method of producing an ultrasonic array oscillator, comprising:
mounting ultrasonic oscillators, to which semiconductor chips that form impedance matching circuits are bonded, by using a pick-and-place method.

9 . The method of producing the ultrasonic array oscillator according to claim 8 , wherein
the ultrasonic oscillators include first ultrasonic oscillators each having a first frequency as a center frequency of oscillation and second ultrasonic oscillators each having a second frequency different from the first frequency as a center frequency of oscillation.

10 . The method of producing the ultrasonic array oscillator according to claim 8 , wherein
the mounting step includes mounting the ultrasonic oscillators and MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) by using the pick-and-place method.

11 . The method of producing the ultrasonic array oscillator according to claim 8 , wherein
the mounting step includes mounting the ultrasonic oscillators and optical devices by using the pick-and-place method.

12 . An ultrasonic probe, comprising:
an ultrasonic array oscillator including ultrasonic oscillators that form an array, and semiconductor chips bonded to respective of the ultrasonic oscillators that form impedance matching circuits.

13 . An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
an ultrasonic probe including an ultrasonic array oscillator, the ultrasonic array oscillator including ultrasonic oscillators that form an array, and semiconductor chips bonded to respective of the ultrasonic oscillators that form impedance matching circuits; and a main body to which the ultrasonic probe is connected, the main body supplying the ultrasonic array oscillator with a drive signal and generating an ultrasonic image on the basis of a detection signal output from the ultrasonic array oscillator.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Morimoto Rui

Classifications

• A61B8/4483

  characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer · CPC title

• A61B8/4455 Primary

  Features of the external shape of the probe, e.g. ergonomic aspects · CPC title

• B06B1/0622

  on one surface · CPC title

• B06B1/0207

  Driving circuits (specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclass, e.g. G01; circuits for steering transducer arrays G10K11/34; basic circuits H03) · CPC title

• A61B8/4281

  characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue · CPC title