Patent ID: 6014898
Filing Date: 2000-01-18
Classification: B06B,G10K,Y10T

Abstract:
An ultrasonic transducer array for testing a body, comprising:a plurality of transducer elements aligned along an array axis in an imaging plane, each of the plurality of transducer elements includinga piezoelectric layer having a front surface overlaid by a front electrode and a rear surface overlaid by a rear electrode, the front surface being interrupted by a series of slots arranged in directions substantially parallel with the array axis,a first acoustic matching layer mounted in front of the front surface of the piezoelectric layer, andan electrically conductive path across the series of slots of the piezoelectric layer,wherein the piezoelectric layer and at least a portion of the first acoustic matching layer are spaced from the adjacent transducer elements; anda backing support that supports the plurality of transducer elements in the aligned, spaced-apart relationship along the array axis.