Patent ID: 8528174
Filing Date: 2013-09-10
Classification: B06B,H01L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of fabricating an ultrasound transducer, the method comprising the steps of: bonding a block of piezoelectric material having a conductive coating to a flex circuit having (a) a first conductive region disposed on an insulating substrate and (b) at least 20 conductive traces that are disposed on the insulating substrate and are in electrical contact with the first conductive region, so that the block of the piezoelectric material bonds to the first conductive region; and dicing the block of the piezoelectric material into at least 20 transducer elements, wherein the dicing step is controlled so as to cut all the way through the block of the piezoelectric material and all the way through the first conductive region, and part way through, but not completely through, the insulating substrate, and wherein the dicing step is performed at positions that are aligned with respect to the at least 20 conductive traces so that after the dicing step is implemented, (a) the first conductive region is divided into at least 20 regions that are electrically isolated from each other, and (b) each of the at least 20 regions is in electrical contact with a respective one of the at least 20 conductive traces; disposing a matching layer on top of the block of the piezoelectric material after the dicing step is completed; and affixing a backing layer beneath the flex circuit.