INTEGRATION TECHNIQUES FOR MICROMACHINED pMUT ARRAYS AND ELECTRONICS USING THERMOCOMPRESSION BONDING, EUTECTIC BONDING, AND SOLDER BONDING

Low-temperature bonding techniques like thermocompression, eutectic, and solder bonding integrate pMUT arrays with ASICs, addressing Curie temperature issues and ensuring high-density, low-noise interconnects for ultrasound imaging.

JP2025169421AInactive Publication Date: 2025-11-12EXO IMAGING INC
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2025140089
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2018-05-14
Filing Date
2025-08-26
Publication Date
2025-11-12
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Piezoelectric materials face challenges due to their Curie temperature, which affects their piezoelectric performance at elevated temperatures, and existing integration methods for piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) arrays with application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) often require high temperatures that can degrade these materials.

Method used

Integration of pMUT arrays with ASICs using thermocompression, eutectic, or solder bonding techniques at low temperatures, which form stable bonds without liquid formation, allowing for high-density, low-resistance interconnects and environmental control, while maintaining the piezoelectric performance of the pMUTs.

Benefits of technology

The methods enable reliable integration of pMUT arrays with ASICs at low temperatures, preserving piezoelectric performance, reducing noise and parasitic power, and providing high-density interconnects with hermetic seals, suitable for ultrasound imaging applications.

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Abstract

To provide methods of integrating piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) arrays with an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) using thermocompression or eutectic / solder bonding.SOLUTION: The present disclosure provides a device comprising a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate comprising multiple piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) arrays, and the second substrate comprising an electrical circuit, where the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded together using thermocompression, where any set of individual pMUTs of the pMUT arrays is addressable. In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a device comprising a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate comprising a pMUT array and the second substrate comprising an electrical circuit, where the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded together using eutectic or solder bonding, where any set of individual pMUTs of the pMUT array is addressable.SELECTED DRAWING: None
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Citation Information

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