Patent ID: 8710717

Claim:
A piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer apparatus, comprising: a transducer device disposed on a dielectric layer disposed on a device substrate, the device substrate comprising one of a silicon-on-insulator substrate and a silicon substrate, the transducer device including a first electrode disposed on the dielectric layer and a piezoelectric material disposed between the first electrode and a second electrode, the piezoelectric material having a maximum lateral dimension greater than a thickness thereof, the device substrate and the dielectric layer being configured to define a first via extending therethrough to the first electrode; a first conductive material configured to substantially fill the first via; and a support member engaged with the device substrate and forming a sidewall defining a second via extending to and exposing the device substrate and the first conductive material, the exposed device substrate further defining a second via end wall, and the first conductive material being disposed with respect to the second via end wall away from the sidewall.