Composite piezoelectric material, ultrasonic probe, ultrasonic endoscope, and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

Abstract

A composite piezoelectric material capable of reducing a peak temperature of a vibrator array to be used for transmitting or receiving ultrasonic waves in ultrasonic imaging. The composite piezoelectric material includes: plural piezoelectric materials arranged along a flat surface or curved surface; and an anisotropic heat conducting material having a higher coefficient of thermal conductivity in at least one direction and provided between the plural piezoelectric materials and / or at outer peripheries of the plural piezoelectric materials.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a composite piezoelectric material for use in an array of ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe including such an ultrasonic transducer and used when intracavity scanning or extracavity scanning is performed on an object to be examined, and also relates to an ultrasonic probe used by being inserted into a body cavity of an object. endoscope. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including such an ultrasonic probe or ultrasonic endoscope and a main body device. Background technique [0002] In the medical field, various imaging techniques have been developed in order to observe the inside of an object to be examined, and to perform diagnosis. In particular, ultrasonic imaging, which acquires information inside a subject by sending and receiving ultrasonic waves, enables real-tim...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, in Documents 1-3, radiation efficiency is poor because heat generated inside the vibrator is released only through the interface between the vibrator and the backing material

That is, piezoelectric ceramics such as PZT forming the vibrator is poor in heat conduction, and epoxy resin, silicone resin, or urethane resin or the like filled between a plurality of vibrators is poor in heat conduction, It is therefore not expected that sufficient radiation

Then, there has been a problem that the radiation at the central part of the vibrator array becomes particularly insufficient and causes a temperature distribution in which the temperature at the central part is higher than that of other parts and the peak temperature becomes higher

Also, in Document 4, at least one acoustic matching layer is manufactured as an acoustic matching layer having low thermal conductivity, but temperature rise of the vibrator cannot be avoided unless heat generated inside the vibrator is effectively transferred to the outside

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