US 11,986,350 B2
Imaging devices having piezoelectric transducers
Sandeep Akkaraju, Wellesley, MA (US); Haesung Kwon, Austin, TX (US); Yusuf Haque, Woodside, CA (US); and Janusz Bryzek, Oakland, CA (US)
Assigned to Exo Imaging, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by eXo Imaging, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/237,723.
Application 17/237,723 is a continuation of application No. 15/820,319, filed on Nov. 21, 2017, granted, now 11,039,814.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/433,782, filed on Dec. 13, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/429,833, filed on Dec. 4, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/429,832, filed on Dec. 4, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2021/0236090 A1, Aug. 5, 2021
Int. Cl. B06B 1/06 (2006.01); A61B 8/00 (2006.01); A61B 8/08 (2006.01); A61B 8/14 (2006.01); B06B 1/02 (2006.01); G01S 7/52 (2006.01); G01S 7/521 (2006.01); G01S 15/89 (2006.01); H10N 30/00 (2023.01); H10N 30/20 (2023.01); H10N 30/88 (2023.01)
CPC A61B 8/4494 (2013.01) [A61B 8/0883 (2013.01); A61B 8/145 (2013.01); A61B 8/4483 (2013.01); A61B 8/4488 (2013.01); A61B 8/461 (2013.01); A61B 8/488 (2013.01); A61B 8/5207 (2013.01); A61B 8/546 (2013.01); B06B 1/0215 (2013.01); B06B 1/0238 (2013.01); B06B 1/0629 (2013.01); B06B 1/0662 (2013.01); B06B 1/0692 (2013.01); G01S 7/52046 (2013.01); G01S 7/52079 (2013.01); G01S 7/521 (2013.01); G01S 15/8925 (2013.01); H10N 30/1051 (2023.02); H10N 30/2047 (2023.02); H10N 30/2048 (2023.02); H10N 30/88 (2023.02); A61B 8/4427 (2013.01); A61B 8/4472 (2013.01); B06B 2201/76 (2013.01)] 39 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A transceiver element, comprising:
a substrate;
a membrane suspending from the substrate; and
a transducer element mounted on the at least one membrane at an attachment area, the transducer element having a bottom electrode, a piezoelectric layer on the bottom electrode, and at least one top electrode on the piezoelectric layer, the transducer element generating a bending moment in response to applying an electrical potential across the bottom electrode and the at least one top electrode and developing an electrical charge in response to applying a bending moment thereto;
wherein the membrane has a first cross-sectional thickness in the attachment area and a second cross-sectional thickness in a deflection area of the membrane, the first cross-sectional thickness being different from the second cross-sectional thickness to permit a desired deflection profile of the membrane for enhancing sensitivity of the transducer element.