Abstract: A capacitive transducer is provided. The capacitive transducer includes a plate including a protruding center mass and a substrate with a center depression configured to accept the center mass. The capacitive transducer also includes a first electrode coupled to a non-horizontal edge surface of the center mass and a second electrode coupled to a non-horizontal edge surface of the center depression. The capacitive transducer further includes a third electrode coupled to a horizontal edge surface of the center mass and a fourth electrode coupled to a horizontal edge surface of the center depression. The plate is coupled to the substrate at least along an outer perimeter area of the plate and the substrate.

Abstract: A micromachined ultrasonic transducers with non-coplanar actuation and displacement comprising a plate with a protruding center mass, a substrate with a center depression configured to accept the center mass, a first electrode coupled to a non-horizontal edge surface of the center mass, and a second electrode coupled to a non-horizontal edge surface of the center depression. The plate may be coupled to the substrate at least along an outer perimeter area of the plate and the substrate.

Abstract: A method for making ultrasound transducers and ultrasound probes includes providing a piezoelectric layer having a first surface and a second surface, where the second surface is on an opposite side of the piezoelectric layer from the first surface. The method includes fabricating a plurality of conductive through vias extending from the first surface to the second surface of the piezoelectric layer, where fabricating the plurality of conductive through vias comprises cutting a plurality of trenches through the piezoelectric layer and filling each of the plurality of trenches with a conductive material. The method includes cutting the piezoelectric layer into a plurality of transducer units after fabricating the plurality of conductive through vias and cutting each of the transducer units into a plurality of transducer elements.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a multi-frequency transducer array. In one example, the transducer array includes an element formed of one or more sub-elements, at least one sub-element having a different resonance frequency. A frequency range of the transducer array may thereby be broadened.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a single element ultrasound transducer. In one embodiment, a method for the transducer comprises laminating a comb structure and a conductive base package into an acoustic stack with a non-conductive glue, grinding the acoustic stack, and dicing the ground acoustic stack along a plane extending from the top surface of the second fin of the conductive base package to the bottom surface of the acoustic stack. The resulting transducer may have a flat front face with a non-conductive groove separating a ground pad formed by the conductive base package from a signal pad formed by a matching layer of the comb structure.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a single element ultrasound transducer. In one embodiment, the ultrasound transducer comprises a front face, a back face parallel to the front face, a piezoelectric layer having a top surface electrically coupled to the signal pad and a bottom surface electrically coupled to the ground pad. In this way, the transducer can work robustly and may be automatically mounted to an imaging probe.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a multi-frequency transducer array. In one example, the transducer array includes an element formed of one or more sub-elements, at least one sub-element having a different resonance frequency. A frequency range of the transducer array may thereby be broadened.

Abstract: A backing panel for a transducer of an ultrasound scanner probe, comprising a core layer sandwiched by a first skin layer and a second skin layer. The transducer may comprise a front portion and a rear portion, where the front portion points to a direction of a target for the ultrasound scanner probe, and the first skin layer is adjacent to the rear portion of the transducer.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a deployable invasive device. In one example, the deployable invasive device has a transducer with a plurality of transducer arrays linked by at least one shape memory material, the at least one shape memory material configured to transition the transducer between a first, folded shape and a second, unfolded shape in response to one or more stimuli. When in the second, unfolded shape, an active area of the transducer is increased relative to the first, folded shape.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a multi-frequency transducer array. In one example, the transducer array is fabricated by forming an interdigitated structure from a first comb structure with a first sub-element and a second comb structure with a second sub-element. The interdigitated structure is coupled to a base package, a matching layer, and a backing layer to form a plurality of multi-frequency transducers.

Abstract: An example of a method for a multi-frequency transducer array can include forming a first comb structure with a first sub-element having a first resonance frequency, forming a second comb structure, complementary in geometry to the first comb structure with a second sub-element having a second resonance frequency, combining the first and second comb structures to form an interdigitated structure, forming a third acoustic stack by coupling the interdigitated structure to a base package, and coupling the third acoustic stack to a matching layer block and a backing layer block to form a plurality of multi-frequency transducers.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a multi-frequency transducer array. In one example, the transducer array may be fabricated via a wafer scale approach, where a first comb structure, with a first type of element, is formed by dicing a first acoustic stack and a second comb structure, with a second type of element, is formed by dicing a second acoustic stack. Combining the first and second comb structures may form a multi-frequency transducer array.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a multi-frequency transducer array. In one example, the transducer array may be fabricated via a wafer scale approach, where a first comb structure, with a first type of element, is formed by dicing a first acoustic stack and a second comb structure, with a second type of element, is formed by dicing a second acoustic stack. Combining the first and second comb structures may form a multi-frequency transducer array.

Abstract: A deployable invasive device includes a transducer with a plurality of elements linked by at least one shape memory material configured to move the plurality of elements relative to one another between a first configuration and a second configuration in response to a stimulus. The shape memory material comprises at least one active region configured to facilitate transition between the first configuration and the second configuration. The deployable invasive device includes at least one integrated circuit configured to process signals from at least one of the plurality of elements and a plurality of conductive traces on or in the shape memory material and extending through the active region. The conductive traces are configured to conduct signals to the at least one integrated circuit, wherein the conductive traces are configured to conform as the shape memory material moves the elements between the first configuration and the second configuration.

Abstract: A deployable invasive device includes a transducer with a plurality of elements with linked by at least one shape memory material, the at least one shape memory material configured to move the plurality of the elements relative to one another between a first configuration and a second configuration in response to the thermal stimulus. The shape memory material comprises at least one active region configured to change shape to facilitate transition between the first configuration and the second configuration. The deployable invasive device further includes at least one integral heating resistor on or within the at least one active region and configured to heat the shape memory material surrounding the integral heating resistor to provide the thermal stimulus.

Abstract: A capacitive transducer is provided. The capacitive transducer includes a plate including a protruding center mass and a substrate with a center depression configured to accept the center mass. The capacitive transducer also includes a first electrode coupled to a non-horizontal edge surface of the center mass and a second electrode coupled to a non-horizontal edge surface of the center depression. The capacitive transducer further includes a third electrode coupled to a horizontal edge surface of the center mass and a fourth electrode coupled to a horizontal edge surface of the center depression. The plate is coupled to the substrate at least along an outer perimeter area of the plate and the substrate.

Abstract: A deployable ultrasound imaging device is operably connected to an ultrasound imaging system including a processing unit configured to operate the transducer and the individual segments in order to emit ultrasound signals from the segments and to receive ultrasound signals from the structures surrounding the segments. The ultrasound imaging system/processing unit can process the transmitted and received signals by beamforming to direct the ultrasound signals emitted from the segments in order to provide data for an ultrasound image of the desired structure(s). The ultrasound imaging system/processing unit mechanically or acoustically determines the position of the individual segments with regard to one another to determine the angular position of the segments with regard to one another.

Abstract: An ultrasound-enabled invasive medical device and a method of manufacturing the ultrasound-enabled invasive medical device. The ultrasound-enabled invasive medical device includes an invasive medical device, an electrical trace deposited either directly on the surface of the invasive medical device or onto an insulating layer covering at least a portion of the surface of the invasive medical device, where the electrical trace is deposited during an additive manufacturing process. The ultrasound-enabled invasive medical device includes an ultrasound transducer assembly attached to the invasive medical device and electrically connected to the electrical trace, and a transducer support structure attached to the invasive medical device, where the transducer support structure defines a nest that is adapted to receive the ultrasound transducer assembly.

Abstract: A micromachined ultrasonic transducers with non-coplanar actuation and displacement comprising a plate with a protruding center mass, a substrate with a center depression configured to accept the center mass, a first electrode coupled to a non-horizontal edge surface of the center mass, and a second electrode coupled to a non-horizontal edge surface of the center depression. The plate may be coupled to the substrate at least along an outer perimeter area of the plate and the substrate.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a transducer for a deployable catheter. In one example, a method for forming the transducer includes coupling an acoustic stack to a shape memory material while in a planar configuration to form a transducer and exposing the shape memory material to a curling stimulus to adjust the transducer to a curved configuration.