Materials for Acoustic Matching in Ultrasound Transducers

S. Rhee', T.A. fitter', K.K. Shung', H. Wang2, W. Cao2

NIH Resource Center on Medical Ultrasonic Transducer Technology
Materials Research Institute
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, PA 16802

Abstract - Acoustic impedance (Z) and secondly the issue of scale, i.e. specifically for
fabrication issues for matching layers in high composites where the layer thickness is on the
frequency transducers were identified. Guided order of the microstructural features giving rise
by a density/impedance relationship established to acoustic non-homogeneity and scattering; and
for various polymers, glasses, ceramics and thirdly, percolation behaviour specifically for
metals, few monolithic materials with Z in the conducting composites; and lastly the intrinsic
range of 6 - 9 MRayls were found. Composites increase in attenuation with increasing
of gold- and silver-polymer resulted in the frequency.
desired impedances, however, with increased It was the purpose of this work to review the
attenuation. Issues of microstructural scale, various issues of matching layers for high
homogeneity and particle size effects were noted frequency applications. The study employs both
including issues of percolation behaviour for modeling methods and the search for novel
conducting composites. Using PiezoCad, the monolithic and composite materials.
effect of matching layer thickness and
impedance variation of a 100 MHz transducer
KLM model
were modeled.

I. INTRODUCTION
Acoustic backing and matching layers are
essential for high performance ultrasound Z,4'7-Z:'7 9.5 MRayls
Double layer Z,1'7.Z16'7
transducers owing to the large impedance 2.4 MRayls
mismatch between the piezoelectric element
(e.g. - 37 MRayls) and tissue (Z = 1.5 MRayls). Table 1 : Matching layer impedances for LiNb03
Using transmission line theory, Collins (1 955) transducer [2]
reported that constructive reinforcement of
acoustic waves would occur when the thickness 11. OVERVIEW
OF ACOUSTIC IMPEDANCES
of the matching layer was 114 of the
wavelength A [l]. Using the KLM model, As presented in table 1 , materials with
Desilets et al. also determined optimum acoustic impedances Z ranging between 2 and
impedance values for single and multiple 10 MRayls are desired for single and
matching layers for ultrasound transducer, as doublslayer matching schemes. In our search
reported in table 1 . for suitable candidates for matching layers, the
The use of matching layers in high impedance of various materials, including
frequency ultrasound, defined herein as polymers, ceramics, glasses, and metals, were
- 30 - 100 MHz, is also expected to enhance reviewed. It was found that there was a
transducer performance. In contrast to correlation between the magnitude of Z in
conventional low-frequency (2 - 7.5 MHz) relation to bulk density as presented in figure 2a.
devices, however, numerous issues must be This figure was expanded and replotted in
addressed. First, the ability to fabricate ultra-thin figure 2b, where it can be clearly seen that there
layers is problematic with projected thickness are very few monolithic materials in the range of
tolerances on the order of a few microns; 6 - 9 MRayls, with polymers readily filling the

0-7803-7177-1/01/$10.00 © 2001 IEEE 2001 IEEE ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM-1051

need in the 2 - 3 MRayls regime. From the scale of the individual components should be on
densityhmpedance relationship, various the order of < 1/10 h, or deleterious effects such
materials with densities ranging from as excessive attenuation would arise.
1,500 kg/m2 to 3000 kg/m3 were identified and
their acoustic impedances determined, including
AIN, Si3N4, BN, glasses, marble, etc. Included in Fabrication Issues
figure 2, again no monolithic material appears Volume Fraction
POroSity/SQpgation
suitable for the first layer of a double layer
matching scheme.

Scale << X
Homogmeity/DispmSion

Percolation
Rcsistivity/eOnductivity
Oxidatioflassivation
V, increases with
*-....... increasing particle size
VdmeFndim
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000

Density [kg/m3] Figure 3: Fabrication issues of composites

Figure 2a: Acoustic impedances of polymers,
glasses, ceramics and metals as a function of An example of a currently used material is a
bulk density after [3], [4], [ 5 ] and this work silver-loaded polymer-composite being also
electrically conducting, allowing it to be
25, I . I . I I multifunctional as the ground plane. In addition

20
I hiswok I to scale, issues of particle size in relation to
percolation, i.e. the volume fraction filler V, at
which conduction occurs, can be altered [6]. In
15
addition to the particle size effects on
percolation, submicron conducting particles such
10

I D

8
8

.
~

8
i as Ag, may result in non-conducting composites
due to readily oxidized surfaces.
The acoustic impedance of various
filler-polymer composites investigated for both
- 5W/ 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500
matching and backing materials, the latter
distinguished by high attenuation (> 50 dJ3/mm)
is summarized in figure4. As found for the
Figure 2b: Acoustic Impedances of materials monolithic materials, a general relationship
with densities up to 3500 kg/m3 between density and impedance is observed.
The large degree of scatter within the data is
From the above, it becomes evident that for probably associated with the issues summarized
matching layers, one must incorporate in figure 3, including segregation,
inhomogeneity and size effects.
composites, as utilized extensively today. In
terms of acoustics, the composite, being Also included in figure4 are results of
comprised of two or more materials, must composites prepared in this work, including
gold-polymer composites. The use of gold
appear homogeneous in the frequency range of
interest (see Fig. 3). That is, the microstructural particles (- 0.8- 1.5 microns) was selected
owing to its inherent inertness to oxidation, thus

2001 IEEE ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM-1052

allowing elevated conductivity even if nano-
particles would be required. Other candidate
materials include silver, carbon,
titanium-diboride and palladium-silver.
Gold
I /-

10 -
10 ***. e.*
8-

6-

4-
=. 5 10 15 20 25
Volume Mion ["/.3
30 35

2- Figure 5: Composite impedance, attenuation and

resistivity (log scale) versus filler volume
fraction for gold-polymer- (a), silver-polymer-
( Density F g h 3 ]
I (b) composites at 50 MHz, measured after [7]

Flyashes, Concrete, Tungsten

Cements,... 111. FABRICATION
ISSUES
Figure 4: Acoustic impedances of composites Thickness
including Au, Ag and W-polymer, etc. after [3] In addition to the magnitude of
and this work impedance, additional issues of layer thickness
and varying impedance remains. In this section,
Figures 5a and 5b present the percolation these parameters and their impact on transducer
behavior of gold- and silver- composites. As performance were modeled. Using PiezoCad,
presented, percolation occurs at 12 and the performance of a -100 MHz (LiNbO3)
14 Vol%, respectively. To assure both transducer was modeled as a function of
conductivity and desired impedance, one must
matching layer thickness, relative to a 1/4 h, as
take into account factors that effect percolation
shown in Figure6. As presented for a single
including particle size and homogeneity of the
matching layer of 7.5 MRayls, the model
particle distribution in the polymer matrix.
confirmed enhanced performance at 0.25
(or % h) for center frequency, bandwidth,
-. insertion loss, and pulse length, parameters
4t commonly employed in evaluating transducer
performance. Based on the model, a standard
Ag-polymer composite matching layer, with a
thickness of 10 microns and a tolerance of h 1
100 micron would be required to maintain optimum
transducer performance.
2o
impedance p a y i s ]
lo- **
I **
4
01. . I I
0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21
Volume hctioa p!]

2001 IEEE ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM-1053

 Impedance magnitude
oo- Using a 1/4 k matching layer as above,
H3 I 96- the figure of merit (as defmed by peak to peak
sensitivity x bandwidth) was plotted in figure 7
as a function of impedance magnitude as it
84 deviates from the set value of 7.5 MRayls. As
* 80- presented, transducer performance is less
76- sensitive to impedance magnitude than found for
0 000
0.00 0 25
0.25 0.50 thickness.
Thickness [AI

22.51
0.00
.
0.25
.
0.50
1 4
~

5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2
Thickness [A]
I n p e k e WVlSl
Figure 7: Transducer figure of merit of
sensitivity as a function of matching layer
impedance

IV. SUMMARY

An overview of acoustic impedances (Z)

J I and fabrication issues for matching layers in
0.00 0.25 0.50
high frequency transducers was presented. A
Thickness [a] nearly linear relationship between density and Z
for polymers, glasses, ceramics and metals was
established. Guided by this relationship,
materials with densities in the range of 1500 -
3000 kg/m3 were identified and characterized
for potential candidates with Z in the range of
6 - 9 MRayls. In addition to monolithic
materials, both conducting and non-conducting
composites were investigated. Issues of
s -61
000 0.25
Thickness [a]
0 50
microstructural scale, homogeneity and particle
size effects on percolation behavior were noted.
Examples of gold- and silver-polymer
Figure 6: Performance parameters for a composites were presented. In addition to the
100 MHz transducer as a function of matching magnitude of Z, issues of layer thickness and
layer thickness, relative to a % k with impedance variation on performance was
7.5 MRayls. Model using P i e d a d . modeled using a 100 MHz LiNb03 transducer.

2001 IEEE ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM-1054

Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the
National Institutes of Health for financial
support under Grant No. P41-RR11795 and
Eugene Gerber and Ru Xia.

V. REFERENCES

R.E. Collins, “Theory and Design of

W ide-Band Multisection Quarter-Wave
Transformers,” in Proceedings of the
IRE, 1955, pp. 179-185.
C.S. Desilets, J.D. Fraser, G.S. Kino,
“The Design of Eficient Broad-Band
Piezoelectric Transducers,” IEEE-
UFFC, V O ~ .SU-25, pp. 115-125, 1978
“Acoustic Tables’’ [ONLINE], Specialty
Engineering Associates Inc. Available:
http://www. ultrasonics.com
J.D. Bass, “Elasticity of Minerals,
Glasses, and Melts,”, in Mineral Physics
& Crvstallonraphy, American
Geophysical Union, Washington D.C.,
ch. 2-5, pp.45-61.
Y. Ohama, Handbook of polymer-
modified concrete and mortars, Park
Ridge, New Jersey, 1995, ch. 4, pp.45-
81.
G.R. Ruschau, Conductive comuosites
as chemical sensors, PhD thesis, The
Pennsylvania State University, State
College, Pennsylvania, 1991, ch. 4, pp.
8 1-99.
H. Wang, T. Ritter, W. Cao, K.K.
Shung, “Passive Materials for High
Frequency Ultrasound Transducers,”
IEEE-UFFC, VOI. 48, pp. 78-84,200 1.

2001 IEEE ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM-1055