Abstract: A transducer with triangular cross-sectional shaped pillars is described for suppressing lateral modes within a composite, and a method for producing the same. According to one aspect of the present application, a plurality of triangular cross-sectional shaped pillars extends outwardly from a substrate and form an array of pillars. The resulting array of pillars is configured to suppress the lateral modes of the transducer at higher operating frequencies, such as, at or above 15 MHz, at or above 20 MHz, or at or above 30 MHz.

Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a method of forming a multi-layer electrode for growing a piezoelectric layer thereon includes a step of forming a high conductivity metal layer over a substrate. The method further includes a step of forming a seed layer over the high conductivity metal layer. The method further includes a step of forming a high density metal layer over the seed layer. The method further includes a step of forming a piezoelectric layer over the high density metal layer. The high conductivity metal layer, the seed layer, and the high density metal layer form the multi-layer electrode on which the piezoelectric layer is grown.

Abstract: A plurality of piezoelectric elements are arrayed two-dimensionally. A plurality of electrodes are respectively formed on the plurality of piezoelectric elements. A plurality of non-conductive members have columnar shape and are arranged on the plurality of electrodes. A plurality of internal metal layers are respectively provided for the plurality of non-conductive members. The internal metal layers reach from arrangement surfaces of the non-conductive members to other surfaces of the non-conductive members. The arrangement surfaces are opposite to the other surfaces.

Abstract: A third matching layer (140) affording wide bandwidth for an ultrasound matrix probe is made of polyethylene, and may extend downwardly to surround the array (S360) and attach to the housing to seal the array (S370).

Abstract: A composite acoustic wave device provides improved protection from environmental factors while maintaining high electrical characteristics and dynamic range is provided. The device comprises a rigid protector plate having high quality acoustical characteristics and a thickness which is a multiple of half wavelength of the resonant frequency. A piezoelectric plate is coupled to the protector plate, is supported therefrom, and forms an energy interface therewith. The piezoelectric and protector plates are dimensioned such that a wave of resonant frequency traveling between the excitation face and the loaded/sensing face, forms a substantially continuous-phase wave, at substantially peak amplitude, at the energy interface. By doing so the device decouples the electrical thickness of the wave device from the mechanical thickness thereof.

Abstract: A method for gluing components is provided, forming an adhesive layer which is capable of functioning, at least in a temperature range of ?100° C. to ?160° C., wherein the adhesive layer is obtained from a curable reactive resin system. The reactive resin system includes an epoxy resin component and polymer particles dispersed in the epoxy resin component, the dispersed polymer particles furthermore including addition-crosslinked silicone elastomer. Also provided is the use of a reactive resin system for gluing piezoelectric ceramics and/or permanent magnets including rare earth elements and a component configuration including a piezoelectric ceramic, an impedance matching layer and an adhesive layer in contact with the piezoelectric ceramic and the impedance matching layer.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element within an external ultrasonic transducer assembly can be used for wireless communication of data between an implantable device and the external ultrasonic transducer assembly such as using ultrasonic energy coupled to a flexible portion of a housing of the transducer assembly. The flexible portion can be configured to contact skin of a body containing the implantable device. The transducer assembly can be configured to respectively transmit or receive ultrasonic energy using at least partially overlapping respective ranges of resonant frequencies.

Abstract: A piezoelectric composite micromachined ultrasound transducer including single and multilayer 1-D and 2-D arrays having through-wafer-vias (TWVs) that significantly decreased electrical impedance per element, and hence the improved electrical impedance matching to T/R electronics and improved signal to noise ratio is disclosed. The TWVs facilitate integrated interconnection in single element transducers (positive and negative contact on the same side) and array transducers (contact pads array for integration with T/R switches and/or pre-amplifier circuits).

Abstract: A capacitive membrane is used as a digital sensor. Membranes act as binary devices, such as being in a collapsed or non-collapsed state. By providing drum heads (membranes and associated gaps) with different response characteristics, the drum heads of an element digitally indicate the amplitude of the acoustic force by which of the drum heads are triggered or change states. The digital transducer may be used for different types of sensors, such as a CMUT, an air pressure, a temperature, a humidity, a chemical or biological stimulus or other sensor.

Abstract: A piezoelectric composite micromachined ultrasound transducer including single and multilayer 1-D and 2-D arrays having through-wafer-vias (TWVs) that significantly decreased electrical impedance per element, and hence the improved electrical impedance matching to T/R electronics and improved signal to noise ratio is disclosed. The TWVs facilitate integrated interconnection in single element transducers (positive and negative contact on the same side) and array transducers (contact pads array for integration with T/R switches and/or pre-amplifier circuits).

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator, the method comprising: co-extruding alternating strips of a high permittivity material and a low permittivity material to form a green tape comprising said alternating strips of said high permittivity material and said low permittivity material; cutting said green tape to form a plurality of sheets, each sheet comprising a high permittivity region and at least two low permittivity regions adjacent to the high permittivity region; applying at least one conductive region to each one of two or more of the sheets to overly the high permittivity region and to leave exposed at least one low permittivity region; and stacking a plurality of sheets to form an actuator stack comprising adjacent sheets, wherein the or each conductive region on each sheet is offset with respect to a conductive region on a different sheet within the actuator stack.

Abstract: A thermoacoustic array energy converter consists of heat driven thermoacoustic prime movers in parallel coupled by means of an acoustic cavity to a piezoelectric electrical generator whose output is rectified and fed to an energy storage element. The prime movers convert heat to sound in a resonator. The sound form a phase-locked array is converted to electricity by means of the piezoelectric element. The generated electric energy is converted to DC by means of a rectifier set and it is then stored in a battery or supercapacitor. The generated electric energy can also be converted to power line frequency.

Abstract: An array-type ultrasonic vibrator according to the present invention has an acoustic matching layer that has a plate-like body made of a material having a lower acoustic impedance than a plurality of piezoelectric elements. Signal wiring is formed on the plate-like body of the acoustic matching layer. Accordingly, for this array-type ultrasonic vibrator, the signal wiring can be easily formed without using additional components.

Abstract: Methods, systems and probes communicate signals from a transducer for imaging or connection with an imaging system. Beamforming-related electronics are positioned in the connector housing of the transducer probe assembly. For example, analog-to-digital converters are positioned in the connector housing. Power is provided through connection with the ultrasound imaging system. Fans or other heat-dissipating structures are also positioned within the connector housing. Other beamformer electronics, such as delays and sums, are positioned in the imaging system, partly in the connector housing or entirely in the connector housing. Since the analog-to-digital converters are provided in the connector housing, partial digital beam forming may be provided in the transducer probe assembly. The length of the transducer cables is held constant to avoid interference and transmission line effects due to line-length variation.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer arraying at even intervals ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and layering a plurality of acoustic matching layers on them, comprising an transducer shape forming member made of a fiber-reinforced thermosetting PPE for filling a gap formed on the side face of the ultrasonic transducer with the same material as that of the acoustic matching layer, mixing a colorant in a division member adjacent to a predefined ultrasonic transducer from among a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and arraying the plurality thereof.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer has a cup-shaped casing. The cup-shaped casing has a sidewall. A cross section of an inner surface of the sidewall being perpendicular to a central axis of the ultrasound transducer substantially shows a dumbbell-shaped contour. The dumbbell-shaped contour has a pair of opposite straight-line sections being substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the dumbbell-shaped contour and a pair of opposite arc sections being located respectively at two ends of the longitudinal axis of the dumbbell-shaped contour and respectively forming two enlarged portions of the dumbbell-shaped contour. Two ends of each arc section of the dumbbell-shaped contour respectively joint the straight-line sections through two curve sections and each curve section is connected to one end of the arc section and one straight-line section. At least one enlarged area of a dumbbell-shaped surface of an inside bottom surface has a recessed portion.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer manufactured by using a micromachining process comprises: a first electrode into which a control signal for transmitting ultrasound is input; a substrate on which the first electrode is formed; a second electrode that is a ground electrode facing the first electrode with a prescribed space between the first and second electrodes; a membrane on which the second electrode is formed and which vibrates and generates the ultrasound when a voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes; a piezoelectric film contacting the membrane; and a third electrode electrically continuous to the piezoelectric film.

Abstract: A base has a plurality of projections or recesses. Each of the projections or recesses corresponds to one channel of vibration elements. Each of the vibration elements has a plurality of MUT elements. Each of the MUT elements transmits and receives ultrasonic waves. A plurality of MUT elements are arranged in each of the projections or recesses. Consequently, each of the vibration elements can transmit and receive ultrasonic waves having radiation surfaces curved along the surfaces of the projections or recesses.

Abstract: The apparatus and method use an optical feedback system to align a transducer with a stent strut. Once alignment is achieved, the transducer causes a coating to be ejected onto the stent strut and the transducer is moved along the stent strut to coat the stent strut.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer with a housing having an ultrasonic window in a first region of the housing for transmitting ultrasonic waves, and a transducer element located in the housing adjacent to the ultrasonic window. To prevent ultrasonic waves from being transmitted as housing waves between the first region of the housing, by way of at least one intermediate second region of the housing, to a third region of the housing on opposite side of the second region from the first region, in the second region of the housing, at least two weakly coupled mechanical resonators are provided which are arranged essentially in secession in the propagation direction of the housing waves.

Abstract: A case member of an ultrasonic sensor includes an outer case member having a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom surface and an inner case member. Cutout portions having a predetermined size are arranged so as to face each other in a lower portion of a sidewall of the inner case member. The inner case member is made of a metal material having a density that is greater than that of the outer case member. Consequently, an elliptical vibrating-surface amplitude profile can be formed in a vibrating surface of the ultrasonic sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor having stable anisotropy in directional properties can be provided. Further, the ultrasonic sensor has a small amount of displacement of side vibration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe comprising a group of piezoelectric elements consisting of a plurality of piezoelectric elements of a narrow card shape arrayed in a long-axis direction thereof and a rotational mechanism that rotates and oscillates said group of piezoelectric elements to the left and right in a short-axis direction thereof about the center of said long-axis direction; wherein said rotational mechanism is provided with a first bevel gear having teeth in at least an arc shape, a second bevel gear meshing with said first bevel gear and rotating in the horizontal direction, and a drive motor that rotates said second bevel gear; and also at least one of said first bevel gear and said second bevel gear is made of a synthetic resin.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer has a rectangular piezo-electric ceramic sheet piece 2 which has a retracted portion 1 on a side face, an upper electrode layer 3 placed on an upper surface of the ceramic sheet piece, 4 a first terminal electrode that is placed on the upper surface of the ceramic sheet piece and connected to the upper electrode layer 3, a lower electrode layer 5 placed on the lower surface of the ceramic sheet piece, an electro-conductive layer 6 that is placed on the retracted side face 1 and connected to the lower electrode layer 5, a second terminal electrode 7 that is placed on the upper surface of the ceramic sheet piece and is connected to the electro-conductive layer 6, a first lead wire 9a connected to the first terminal electrode, a second lead wire 9b connected to the second terminal electrode 7, an acoustic matching layer 10 placed on the upper electrode layer, and an acoustic absorbing layer 11 placed on the surface of the lower electrode layer.

Abstract: There is provided an ultrasound probe including a first substrate having a silicon substrate and an ultrasound transmit-receive element, an acoustic lens disposed over an upper surface of the first substrate, and a damping layer disposed under the first substrate, in which a second substrate is disposed between a lower surface of the first substrate and an upper surface of the damping layer, and the second substrate is made of a material having approximately the same linear expansion coefficient and acoustic impedance as the silicon substrate of the first substrate. With this structure, it is possible to provide the ultrasound probe which can prevent damage to the silicon substrate due to temperature change and has excellent transmission/reception performance and structure reliability while reducing noise by reflected waves in transmission and reception.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer arraying at even intervals ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and layering a plurality of acoustic matching layers on them, comprising an transducer shape forming member made of a fiber-reinforced thermosetting PPE for filling a gap formed on the side face of the ultrasonic transducer with the same material as that of the acoustic matching layer, mixing a colorant in a division member adjacent to a predefined ultrasonic transducer from among a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and arraying the plurality thereof.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a cylindrical casing having a bottom portion. The casing has a piezoelectric element on a bottom surface thereof. A substrate is attached to an end surface of an opening portion of the casing with a damping member provided therebetween such that the damping member covers the opening portion. Pin terminals are arranged so as to extend through the substrate and the damping member and are electrically connected to the piezoelectric element with lead wires. An inner space of the casing is filled with foamable resin.

Abstract: Ultrasonic contact transducer with multiple ultrasonic emitting elements and means of bringing these elements into contact. This transducer is applicable particularly to non-destructive testing and comprises means (8, 10) for bringing elements (2) into contact with an object (6) to be checked and means (26, 28, and 34 to 40) of determining the positions of elements relative to the object, using means bringing elements into contact, to determine delay laws to be applied to excitation pulses of the elements, to generate a focussed ultrasonic beam (F).

Abstract: An improved process of substrate cleaving and a device to perform the cleaving are disclosed. In the traditional cleaving process, a layer of microbubbles is created within a substrate through the implantation of ions of a gaseous species, such as hydrogen or helium. The size and spatial distribution of these microbubbles is enhanced through the use of ultrasound energy. The ultrasound energy causes smaller microbubbles to join together and also reduces the straggle. An ultrasonic transducer is acoustically linked with the substrate to facilitate these effects. In some embodiments, the ultrasonic transducer is in communication with the platen, such that ultrasound energy can be applied during ion implantation and/or immediately thereafter. In other embodiments, the ultrasonic energy is applied to the substrate during a subsequent process, such as an anneal.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer according to the present invention includes: two or more ultrasonic transducer cells, each of which has a lower electrode, a first insulating layer placed on the lower electrode, a cavity placed on the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer placed on the cavity, and an upper electrode placed above the second insulating layer; channels which communicate the cavities with each other; the second insulating layer placed on the channels; holes formed in the second insulating layer placed on the channels; and sealing portions which seal the holes, where that part of the sealing portions which enters the channels is the same in cross-sectional shape as the holes.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system (100). An exemplary system (100) includes a plurality of transducer elements (136) formed in subarrays (140) and a plurality of subarray circuit units (160?), with each circuit unit (160?) connected to a subarray (140) of the transducer elements (136). The circuitry in each unit (160?) comprises a plurality of integrated circuits (330, 340, 350), with at least a first (340) of the integrated circuits formed over a second (330) of the integrated circuits in a stacked configuration. In an example illustration the first integrated circuit (340) includes a first plurality of first bond pads (345) along a surface (342) thereof and the second integrated circuit (330) includes a second plurality of second bond pads (335) along a surface (331) thereof, with bond wires (344) extending between pairs of first and second bond pads to provide input/output signal connections therebetween.

Abstract: A flexible printed circuit board, interposed between an intermediate member and a backing material, covers an almost whole back face of the intermediate member and has first and second wiring patterns. A first electrode is interposed between the piezoelectric transducer and the intermediate member, extracted onto the side face of the intermediate member contiguous with one side face of the piezoelectric transducer, and electrically connected to the first wiring pattern. A second electrode is formed on the ultrasound transmission face of the piezoelectric transducer, extracted by being routed on the other side face of the piezoelectric transducer and a side face of the intermediate member contiguous with the other side face of the piezoelectric transducer, and electrically connected to the second wiring pattern.

Abstract: A miniature piezoelectric transducer element is provided, comprising; (a) a cell element having a cavity; (b) a flexible piezoelectric layer attached to the cell member, the piezoelectric layer having an external surface and an internal surface, the piezoelectric layer featuring such dimensions so as to enable fluctuations thereof at its resonance frequency upon impinging of an external acoustic wave; and (c) a first electrode attached to the external surface and a second electrode attached to the internal surface of the piezoelectric layer. At least one of the electrodes may be specifically shaped so as to provide a maximal electrical output, wherein the electrical output may be current, voltage or power. A preferred shape of the electrodes includes two cores interconnected by a connecting member. The transducer element may function as a transmitter.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating robust films across a patterned underlying layer's edges or steps are disclosed. The novel methods diminish the negative effects of electrode steps or edges on the integrity of a membrane. Thus, the methods are particularly applicable to membrane release technology. The height of the step or edge is eliminated or reduced to increase the mechanical integrity of the film.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes: a support member having an opening section; a diaphragm adapted to cover the opening section; and a piezoelectric member provided to the diaphragm and at least one of expanding and contracting in an in-plane direction in response to application of a voltage, wherein the diaphragm has a concave groove section formed to have a concave shape on a surface on an opposite side to one side exposed to the opening section, and the piezoelectric member is fixed to the diaphragm in an area outside the concave groove section, and disposed to cover the concave groove section so as to be opposed to a bottom of the concave groove section via a space.

Abstract: A plurality of application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chips with different functions is provided. Each of the ASICs performs one or more functions along an ultrasound data path. The chips include communications protocols or processes for allowing scaling. For example, ASICs for backend processing include data exchange ports for communicating between other ASICs of the same type. As another example, receive beamformer ASICs cascade for beamformation. By providing ASICs implementing many or most of the ultrasound data path functions, with scalability, the same ASICs may be used for different system designs. A family of systems from high end to low-end using the same types of ASICs, but in different configurations, is provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electromechanical transducer and the method for manufacturing the same, which can detect or control deformation and vibration of a structure and flow of fluids by applying controlling forces. The electromechanical transducer of the present invention comprises a base substrate to which initial stress is applied; an electro-active material layer attached on the base substrate; and electrodes installed on the top and bottom side of the electro-active material layer for actuating the electro-active material layer, the base substrate and the electro-active material layer which is deformed when initial stress is removed from the base substrate so that the base substrate and the electro-active material layer have curvatures.

Abstract: An electroacoustic transducer is provided, particularly for use in an apparatus for medical shock-wave treatment. The transducer includes several piezoelements arranged next to one another, which are embedded in a composite mass in a carrier-free manner.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe particularly for diagnostic purposes includes a first array of ultrasound transducers that generate ultrasound waves by electric excitation and transforming ultrasound waves impinging on them into electric signals. Each transducer is provided with contact electrodes which are connected respectively to a ground potential and to electric signals feeding lines. The first array of transducers includes emitting transducers and is intended only for generating and transmitting ultrasound waves, while a second array of transducers is provided over the first array of emitting transducer and includes receiving transducers for generating the electric receipt signals. The second array of transducers is formed of a material having piezoelectric behavior.

Abstract: An improved ultrasound transducer assembly, e.g. a thickness-mode transducer assembly includes a plurality of elements comprising piezoelectric material, and a backing material disposed adjacent to a back surface of the plurality of elements. The piezoelectric material and backing material define at least a portion of a side surface, wherein an electrically conductive material is disposed upon and in contact with at least a portion of the side surface. The elements may comprise one or a plurality of front electrodes, and one or a plurality of back electrodes, wherein the front electrode(s) is electrically interconnected to the electrically conductive material disposed on the side surface portion. In a mass processing method, a plurality of thickness-mode ultrasound probe transducer assemblies may be produced, wherein a plurality of interconnected transducer subassemblies comprising a mass backing are processed in tandem.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe having an ultrasonic transducer is provided. The ultrasonic transducer includes a first piezoelectric layer for transmitting ultrasonic waves to an object in a body. A second piezoelectric layer receives the ultrasonic waves reflected by the object. An acoustic matching layer is disposed between the first and second piezoelectric layers, for constituting an electrode common to the first and second piezoelectric layers. Preferably, the second piezoelectric layer is positioned nearer to the object than the first piezoelectric layer. The first piezoelectric layer is inorganic, and the second piezoelectric layer is organic. The acoustic matching layer contains metal, for example, silver. In one embodiment, the second piezoelectric layer includes plural receiving element regions, arranged in a first direction, and having volumes different from one another.

Abstract: An acoustical stack for an ultrasound probe comprises a piezoelectric layer having top and bottom sides and a plurality of matching layer sections forming a matching layer structure. Each of the matching layer sections comprises a spring layer comprising a first material and a mass layer comprising a second material that is different than the first material. The spring layer within the matching layer section that is positioned closest to the piezoelectric layer is thinner than the spring layer within the other matching layer sections.

Abstract: In one aspect, matching layers for an ultrasonic transducer stack having a matching layer comprising a matrix material loaded with a plurality of micron-sized and nano-sized particles. In another aspect, the matrix material is loaded with a plurality of heavy and light particles. In another aspect, an ultrasound transducer stack comprises a piezoelectric layer and at least one matching layer. In one aspect, the matching layer comprises a composite material comprising a matrix material loaded with a plurality of micron-sized and nano-sized particles. In a further aspect, the composite material can also comprise a matrix material loaded with a plurality of heavy and light particles. In a further aspect, a matching layer can also comprise cyanoacrylate.

Abstract: A high power ultrasonic transducer includes a first ultrasonic transducer cell and at least one second ultrasonic transducer cell disposed on the first ultrasonic transducer cell. The at least one second ultrasonic transducer cell oscillates together with the first ultrasonic transducer cell.

Abstract: A composite membrane acoustic transducer structure comprising a magnet assembly is arranged adjacent the composite membrane material. The magnet assembly is arranged to produce a flux field. A first layer of thin, elongate composite membrane material is held under tension. A second conductive layer is attached to the first layer of composite membrane material wherein the first and second layers of membrane material are arranged adjacent, generally parallel and offset from the magnet assembly. The assembly is arranged to produce the flux field through at least part of the first layer and the second layer.

Abstract: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction with these piezoelectric element surfaces is managed to avoid degradation of propagating acoustic energy. Use of the HTC material in conjunction with heat sinks allows for creation of thermal paths away from the piezoelectric element. Active cooling of the heat sinks with water or air can further draw heat from the piezoelectric element. Further implementations form a composite matrix of thermally conductive material or interleave thermally conductive layers with piezoelectric material.

Abstract: Making a transducer having a plastic matching layer which includes providing a transducer housing having a proximal end and a distal end, and bonding a plastic to the distal end of the transducer housing (the plastic fluidly sealing and occluding the distal end). The bonding further includes inserting a cylinder comprising a mold-release chemical into the transducer housing, bonding plastic onto the distal end of the transducer housing, and removing the cylinder when the plastic has hardened.

Abstract: A dual spiral transducer and method of manufacture of same is disclosed. In one aspect, the transducer comprises a central rod, a first spiral piezoelectric electrode wrapped around a circumference of the rod, the electrode being advanced around the rod at a determined angle determined based on a length of a single complete turn around the rod and a diameter of the rod and a second spiral piezoelectric electrode wrapped around the circumference of the rod, the second spiral electrode being electrically isolated, and offset, from the first spiral electrode by a known distance. A second set of spiral electrodes can be integrated into the structure so that both transmission and reception of signals is feasible.

Abstract: An impedance conversion layer useful for medical imaging ultrasonic transducers comprises a low impedance polymer layer and a high impedance metal layer. These layers are combined with corresponding thicknesses adapted to provide a function of converting from a specific high impedance to specific low impedance, wherein the polymer layer is at the high impedance side and the metal layer is at the low impedance side. The effective acoustic impedance of the polymer and metal layer combination may be adapted to configure an impedance converter in the same way as a quarter wavelength impedance converter, converting from low impedance to high impedance (metal to polymer) or from a high impedance to low impedance (polymer to metal). This structure may be used for front matching with the propagation medium and back matching with an absorber for ultrasonic transducers.

Abstract: In an ultrasound probe including first and second acoustic matching layers between an acoustic lens and a piezoelectric oscillator, an electrode is arranged on a surface of a laminate element made of the first and second acoustic matching layers, the laminate element is interposed between the acoustic lens and the piezoelectric oscillator, and the piezoelectric oscillator and the electrode are electrically connected.

Abstract: An improved acoustic lens and an improved ultrasonic transducer system comprising an improved acoustic lens and related methods are provided. The improved acoustic lens may have a uniform loss along an elevation axis or may have a loss along the elevation axis that provides for an apodization of an acoustic signal. The improved acoustic lens may be a multi-component lens. In a two-component lens embodiment, the inner lens component, for interfacing with a transducer, may have a concave outer surface and the outer lens component may have a flat or convex outer surface. In a three-component lens embodiment, the inner lens component, for interfacing with a transducer, may have a concave outer surface, the middle lens component may have a concave outer surface and the outer lens component may have a flat or convex outer surface.