Patent ID: 8076821

Claim:
In a forward or side looking catheter device having a plurality of cMUT arrays for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic energy, the forward or side looking catheter device comprising: a plurality of cMUT arrays being disposed on a substrate in a spaced apart arrangement so that the cMUT arrays are disposed at differing locations on the substrate, the plurality of cMUT arrays each comprising a plurality of cMUT elements, at least a portion of the plurality of cMUT elements comprising a flexible membrane disposed above the substrate a first electrode disposed on the membrane and a second electrode disposed on the substrate, at least one of the first and second electrodes being a multiple element electrode, the multiple element electrode comprising a plurality of electrode elements, and the plurality of electrode elements being shaped and sized to have a width less than the width of the membrane, and being further configured to operatively shape the membrane in a reception state to receive ultrasonic energy and a transmission state to transmit ultrasonic energy.