Ultasound probe providing dual backing layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8975713-B2
Application number	US-201213976758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2012
Priority date	Jan 6, 2011
Publication date	Mar 10, 2015
Grant date	Mar 10, 2015

Abstract

Disclosed is an ultrasonic probe comprising: CMUT cells ( 13 ) that mutually convert ultrasonic waves and electrical signals; a semiconductor substrate ( 15 ) that has a plurality of the CMUT cells ( 13 ) formed on the surface thereof; an acoustic lens ( 3 ) that is provided on the front face side of the CMUT cells ( 13 ); and a backing layer ( 5 ) that is provided on the rear face side of the semiconductor substrate ( 15 ). The backing layer ( 5 ) is formed by a first backing layer ( 27 ) that makes contact with the semiconductor substrate, and a second backing layer ( 29 ) that is provided on the rear face side of the backing layer ( 27 ). The acoustic impedance of the backing layer ( 27 ) is set based on the sheet thickness of the semiconductor substrate ( 15 ). The backing layer ( 29 ) is formed by attenuating material capable of attenuating ultrasonic waves transmitted through the backing layer ( 27 ). Multiple reflection of reflection echoes is suppressed by setting the acoustic impedance of the backing layer ( 29 ) to match the acoustic impedance of the backing layer ( 27 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An ultrasound probe comprising:
a capacitive vibration element configured to mutually convert ultrasound and an electric signal;
a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of the capacitive vibration elements formed on the surface thereof;
an acoustic lens provided on a front face side of the capacitive vibration element; and
a backing layer provided on a rear face side of the semiconductor substrate,
wherein the backing layer includes a f…

Assignees

• Sako Akifumi
• Takenaka Tomoko
• Ishida Kazunari
• Hitachi Medical Corp

Inventors

• Sako Akifumi
• Takenaka Tomoko
• Ishida Kazunari

Classifications

• Y10T29/49005

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G10K11/002

  Physics · mapped topic

• B06B1/0292

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• A61B8/4444 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• H10D48/50 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic