IMPROVED ULTRASOUND PROBE TRANSDUCER ASSEMBLY AND PRODUCTIONMETHOD

摘要

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. Th e 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. At least one electrically conductive embedded pathway may b e provided through the backing material and electrically connected to one or a plurality of the back electrodes. In a mass processing method, a plurality o f thickness-mode ultrasound probe transducer assemblies may be produced, where in a plurality of interconnected transducer subassemblies comprising a mass backing are processed in tandem. The method may provide for the interconnection of at least a first material layer on a front side of a backing material comprising the mass backing, wherein a different portion of the first material layer remains interconnected to each of the plurality of subassemblies after disconnection of the subassemblies. The method may furth er provide for the connection of additional material layers on the front side o f the mass backing prior to disconnection of the subassemblies, thereby yieldi ng further mass processing efficiencies.