Abstract:
PURPOSE: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is provided to reduce the size of a power supply and reduce a power consumption by connecting charge pump circuits to a transmitter power supply. CONSTITUTION: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus(1) comprises an analog switch(16) for switching ultrasonic transducers for transmitting ultrasonic signals and receiving reflected waves; a transmitter power supply(14) for supplying high voltages to a transmitter circuit for permitting the ultrasonic transducer to drive the ultrasonic signals; and a bias power generator circuit for generating bias power source for analog switch from the transmitter power supply.
Abstract:
The high voltage drive for the transducer of an ultrasonic transducer probe is provided by an active supply that monitors the high voltage supplied to the transducer by means of feedback, and responds to a decline in voltage during high voltage transmission by coupling charge from a capacitor to the high voltage supply line of the probe, thereby preventing a precipitous decline in the high voltage. Preferably the active supply and the capacitor are located in the probe connector enclosure.
Abstract:
An ultrasound transducer array is provided that comprises a plurality of CMUT (capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer) cells (100), each CMUT cell comprising a substrate (300) carrying a first electrode (110) of a first electrode arrangement, the substrate being spatially separated from a flexible membrane including a second electrode (120) of a second electrode arrangement by a gap (130), at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode being electrically insulated from said gap by at least one dielectric layer (311, 313), wherein at least one of the first electrode arrangement and the second electrode arrangement is partitioned into a plurality of sections interconnected by respective fuse portions (112, 122). An ultrasound probe and an ultrasound system comprising such an ultrasound transducer array are also disclosed.
Abstract:
An ultrasound transducer includes: an acoustic matching layer 2 bending with a predetermined curvature; a plurality of piezoelectric elements 3 disposed on an inner face 2n on the side of a curvature center C of the acoustic matching layer 2 in such a manner that the plurality of piezoelectric elements 3 bend; a plurality of wirings 9 including respective one ends electrically connected to the plurality of piezoelectric elements 3, respectively; a substrate 5 to which respective other ends of the plurality of wirings 9 are electrically connected; and a holding member 4 provided at a position partway of the plurality of wirings 9 between the plurality of piezoelectric elements 3 and the substrate 5, the holding member 4 being configured to hold the plurality of wirings 9 with a pitch W2 that is equal to or smaller than an arrangement pitch W1 of the plurality of piezoelectric elements 3.
Abstract:
A transducer is optimally driven at or near its resonant frequency by a driver system that adapts to variations and/or changes to the resonant frequency of the transducer due to variations in piezo materials, manufacturing, assembly, component tolerances, and/or operational conditions. The system may include an output controller, a phase track controller, a frequency generator, a drive, circuitry to determine a phase angle between the transducer voltage and transducer current, and circuitry to obtain transducer admittance from the transducer voltage and transducer current.
Abstract:
A series of multi-dimensional acoustic standing waves is set up inside a growth volume of a bioreactor. The acoustic standing waves are used to hold a cell culture in place as a nutrient fluid stream flows through the cell culture. Biomolecules produced by the cell culture are collected by the nutrient fluid stream and separated downstream of the cell culture.
Abstract:
An ultrasound transducer for use in intra-vascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging systems including a single crystal composite (SCC) layer is provided. The transducer has a front electrode on a side of the SCC layer; and a back electrode on the opposite side of the SCC layer. The SCC layer may have a dish shape including pillars made of a single crystal piezo-electric material embedded in a polymer matrix. Also provided is an ultrasound transducer as above, with the back electrode split into two electrodes electrically decoupled from one another. A method of forming an ultrasound transducer as above is also provided. An IVUS imaging system is provided, including an ultrasound transducer rotationally disposed within an elongate member; an actuator; and a control system controlling activation of the ultrasound transducer to facilitate imaging.
Abstract:
A Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT) device includes at least one CMUT cell including a first substrate of a single crystal material having a top side including a patterned dielectric layer thereon including a thick and a thin dielectric region, and a through-substrate via (TSV) extending a full thickness of the first substrate. The TSV is formed of the single crystal material, is electrically isolated by isolation regions in the single crystal material, and is positioned under a top side contact area of the first substrate. A membrane layer is bonded to the thick dielectric region and over the thin dielectric region to provide a movable membrane over a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) cavity. A metal layer is over the top side substrate contact area and over the movable membrane including coupling of the top side substrate contact area to the movable membrane.