FPCB as an Acoustic Matching Layer for 1D Linear Ultrasound Transducer Arrays

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Acoustics

Background:

• Acoustic matching layers are crucial for efficient ultrasound transmission in transducers.
• Traditional materials like alumina/epoxy have limitations in performance and flexibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) as a novel acoustic matching layer for ultrasound transducers.
• To assess the FPCB's performance in terms of ultrasound transmission efficiency and electrical grounding.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a composite FPCB using polyimide and copper layers.
• Integration of the FPCB as an acoustic matching layer and electrical ground in a 1D linear ultrasound transducer array.
• Comparative performance analysis against an alumina/epoxy matching layer.

Main Results:

• The FPCB-based transducer exhibited increased output pressure and ultrasound beam intensity.
• A wider -3dB bandwidth was observed with the FPCB matching layer.
• The FPCB successfully served dual roles as an acoustic matching layer and electrical ground.

Conclusions:

• The proposed FPCB is a highly effective acoustic matching layer for 1D linear ultrasound transducer arrays.
• FPCB offers enhanced transmission performance compared to conventional alumina/epoxy layers.
• The dual functionality of the FPCB simplifies transducer design and improves performance.