JPH0247928Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a surface array ultrasonic transducer, and particularly to a surface array ultrasonic transducer in which the ultrasonic radiation area (aperture) can be arbitrarily controlled.

[Prior Art] Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment that displays images inside a living body using ultrasound waves is well-known. Previously, this method was carried out by transmitting and receiving ultrasound beams, but in recent years, it has been proposed to arrange a plurality of transducers in a planar manner to transmit and receive ultrasound beams in a three-dimensional space.

In other words, the combination of transducers to be excited at once is selected not linearly but planarly, the ultrasonic radiation area (aperture) can be arbitrarily controlled, and the excitation of the transducers is controlled two-dimensionally. This makes it possible to generate an ultrasonic beam in a three-dimensional space and form a three-dimensional image inside a living body.

FIG. 4 shows a conventional surface array ultrasonic transducer, in which a piezoelectric material is divided into a matrix, each having one transducer 10.
A vibrator electrode 12 is attached to each. A common electrode 14 is formed on the ultrasonic emission surface side so as to be sandwiched between matching layers 16 in a sandwich pattern. Note that one vibrator 10 has an area of, for example, 0.15 to 0.3×10 mm and a thickness of 0.5 to 0.3 mm.

A lead wire for supplying the output of the pulser 18 is connected to each transducer electrode 12, and a plurality of transducers 10 selected for ultrasonic beam formation are connected to each transducer electrode 12.
Excite and drive.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] Problems of the prior art However, the surface array ultrasonic transducer has an extremely large number of transducers, and one lead wire is wired to each of these transducers. In this case, the number of lead wires becomes extremely large and handling becomes complicated. This not only makes it difficult to assemble and process when forming a probe, but also causes problems such as lack of flexibility and difficulty in handling when manipulating the probe on the surface of a living body. Ta.

Furthermore, when controlling each vibrator electronically as in conventional equipment, a switch and its drive circuit are required for electronic switching, and these circuits also have extremely complex configurations, making it impossible to reduce the weight of the equipment. There is a problem.

Purpose of the invention The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its purpose is to create a surface array ultrasonic transducer that enables simple switching control, is easy to handle, and is lightweight. The aim is to provide users.

[Means and effects for solving the problem] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides a planar structure in which a plurality of vibrators are arranged in a plane, and each vibrator has an independent vibrator electrode. In the array ultrasonic transducer, an insulating wiring board stuck to the transducer electrode surface, a wiring pattern to each transducer electrode formed on the non-sticking surface of the insulating wiring board, and the The optical switch has a tapered hole formed in an insulating substrate and reaches each vibrator electrode from the wiring pattern, and an optical switch part formed by pasting a photoconductive film to the hole, and an optical switch part that is irradiated with light. The wiring pattern and the vibrator electrode are electrically coupled in the section.

According to the above configuration, the photoconductive film of the optical switch part is directly and uniformly irradiated with light for controlling the oscillator, and the photoconductive film that receives the light decreases its electrical resistance and becomes electrically conductive. Become. This photoconductive film needs to be uniformly irradiated with light over the entire film, and a certain amount of light can lower the resistance value to a certain extent. Therefore, a voltage of a predetermined frequency oscillated from the pulsar by light irradiation is applied to the vibrator, and an ultrasonic beam having a desired radiation area can be formed.

[Embodiments] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. Note that the same members as those in the conventional device are given the same reference numerals and explanations will be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows a surface array ultrasonic transducer, in which a common electrode 14 is provided on the radiation surface side of the transducer 10.
is attached, and a vibrator electrode 12 is attached to each vibrator 10 on the divided side.

A characteristic feature of the present invention is that the voltage supplied to the vibrator electrode 12 divided into a plurality of planar parts is efficiently controlled by light irradiation, and the metal pattern as wiring to each vibrator electrode 12 is efficiently controlled. 22 is formed on an insulating plate, and the wiring board 20 serves as the vibrator electrode 12.
pasted on the surface. As shown in FIG. 2, a hole 24 tapered toward the vibrator electrode 12 is formed in the wiring board 20 at the joint between the vibrator electrode 12 and the metal pattern 22. An optical switch section 26 is formed at the bottom of the hole 24 so as to be coupled to the vibrator electrode 12.

This optical switch section 26 includes, for example, CdS, CdSe,
It is made of a photoconductive film such as PbS or PbSe, and is formed by vapor deposition or sputtering. in this case,
The optical switch section 26 couples both the metal pattern 22 formed on the wiring board 20 and each vibrator electrode 12, and is in an electrically non-conductive state when not irradiated with light.

The optical switch section 26 may also be formed by forming a photoconductive film in a spiral shape and pasting it onto the tapered slope of the hole 24 formed in the wiring board 20, as shown in FIG. can. Note that the hole 24 is not limited to a circular shape, but may also have other shapes such as a rectangular shape.

In the surface array ultrasonic transducer configured as described above, a voltage of a predetermined frequency is applied from the pulser 18 to one end of the metal pattern 22 of the wiring board 20, and a transducer excitation control (not shown in the figure) is applied. When the optical switch section 26 is irradiated with light, the electrical resistance of the optical switch section 26 decreases, so that the predetermined voltage applied to one end of the metal pattern 22 is applied to the vibrator 10. Therefore, by selecting a plurality of optical switch sections 26 corresponding to the vibrators 10 to be excited and emitting light, it is possible to emit an ultrasonic beam having a desired radiation area, and it is also possible to emit an ultrasonic beam having a desired radiation area. It is also possible to switch between B mode, which displays tomographic images in the horizontal direction, and C mode, which displays vertical and horizontal tomographic images at a certain depth, allowing for efficient diagnosis by arbitrarily forming desired tomographic images inside the living body. becomes possible.

[Effects of the invention] As explained above, according to the invention, the wiring patterns on the front and back surfaces and the vibrator electrodes are electrically coupled by pasting the photoconductive film into the holes provided in the wiring board. Since an optical switch section is provided, light is irradiated in a straight line to the optical switch section, making it easy to control the switching of the transducer using the optical control signal.Also, since complicated lead wires are eliminated, it is easy to handle and lightweight. It becomes possible to obtain a device that is

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a preferred embodiment of the surface array ultrasonic transducer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a tomographic plane of the optical switch section, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional surface array ultrasonic transducer. 10... Vibrator, 12... Vibrator electrode, 14...
... common electrode, 18 ... pulser, 20 ... wiring board, 22 ... metal pattern as wiring, 24 ...
...hole, 26...light switch section.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) In a surface array ultrasonic transducer in which a plurality of transducers are arranged in a planar manner and each transducer has an independent transducer electrode, on the surface of the transducer electrode. A pasted insulating wiring board, a wiring pattern formed on the non-adhesive surface of this insulating wiring board to each vibrator electrode, and a wiring pattern formed on the insulating board from the wiring pattern to each vibrator electrode. The wiring pattern and the vibrator electrode are electrically coupled to each other at the light-irradiated light switch part, which has a tapered hole reaching the top and a light switch part formed by adhering a photoconductive film to the hole. A surface array ultrasonic transducer characterized by: (2) Utility model registration The device according to claim (1), characterized in that the optical switch section has a photoconductive film formed in a spiral shape from the wiring end on the wiring board toward the vibrator electrode. Array ultrasound transducer.