Curved array of sequenced ultrasound transducers.

摘要

An array of ultrasound transducers for pulsed sector-scan operation includes a plurality of transducer elements disposed on an arc of a circle and oriented to emit and receive ultrasound radiation in the direction of the center of the arc. A group of adjacent transducers within the array is active for each ultrasound pulse. The position of the group in the array is incrementally shifted along the arc, one transducer at a time, to effect scanning. The inherent focussing affect of a curved group of transducers is compensated with time delays or a negative lens to provide a parallel, sector-scanned radiation beam. The array may be manufactured by cutting grooves (620) in a solid bar of piezoelectric ceramic (600), casting flexible matching windows (615) on the front surface of the grooved bar, bending the grooved bar around a mandrel (650) to separate individual transducer elements (630) from each other and casting a foam air cell (660) over the back of the elements to retain them in place.