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Zhang L, Du W, Kim JH, Yu CC, Dagdeviren C. An Emerging Era: Conformable Ultrasound Electronics. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2307664. [PMID: 37792426 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202307664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Conformable electronics are regarded as the next generation of personal healthcare monitoring and remote diagnosis devices. In recent years, piezoelectric-based conformable ultrasound electronics (cUSE) have been intensively studied due to their unique capabilities, including nonradiative monitoring, soft tissue imaging, deep signal decoding, wireless power transfer, portability, and compatibility. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of cUSE for use in biomedical and healthcare monitoring systems and a summary of their recent advancements. Following an introduction to the fundamentals of piezoelectrics and ultrasound transducers, the critical parameters for transducer design are discussed. Next, five types of cUSE with their advantages and limitations are highlighted, and the fabrication of cUSE using advanced technologies is discussed. In addition, the working function, acoustic performance, and accomplishments in various applications are thoroughly summarized. It is noted that application considerations must be given to the tradeoffs between material selection, manufacturing processes, acoustic performance, mechanical integrity, and the entire integrated system. Finally, current challenges and directions for the development of cUSE are highlighted, and research flow is provided as the roadmap for future research. In conclusion, these advances in the fields of piezoelectric materials, ultrasound transducers, and conformable electronics spark an emerging era of biomedicine and personal healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhang
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Wenya Du
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Jin-Hoon Kim
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Chia-Chen Yu
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Canan Dagdeviren
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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Bantignies C, Rouffaud R, Buse G, Veber P, Cabane H, Borta-Boyon A, Thi MP, Mauchamp P, Lejeune A, Maglione M, Colin L, Bale A, Flesch M, Levassort F. High-Frequency Linear Array (20 MHz) Based on Lead-Free BCTZ Crystal. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2024; 71:27-37. [PMID: 37224371 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2023.3278034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Centimeter-sized BaTiO3-based crystals grown by top-seeded solution growth from the BaTiO3-CaTiO3-BaZrO3 system were used to process a high-frequency (HF) lead-free linear array. Piezoelectric plates with (110)pc cut within 1° accuracy were used to manufacture two 1-3 piezo-composites with thicknesses of 270 and [Formula: see text] for resonant frequencies in air of 10 and 30 MHz, respectively. The electromechanical characterization of the BCTZ crystal plates and the 10-MHz piezocomposite yielded the thickness coupling factors of 40% and 50%, respectively. We quantified the electromechanical performance of the second piezocomposite (30 MHz) according to the reduction in the pillar sizes during the fabrication process. The dimensions of the piezocomposite at 30 MHz were sufficient for a 128-element array with a 70- [Formula: see text] element pitch and a 1.5-mm elevation aperture. The transducer stack (backing, matching layers, lens, and electrical components) was tuned with the characteristics of the lead-free materials to deliver optimal bandwidth and sensitivity. The probe was connected to a real-time HF 128-channel echographic system for acoustic characterization (electroacoustic response and radiation pattern) and to acquire high-resolution in vivo images of human skin. The center frequency of the experimental probe was 20 MHz, and the fractional bandwidth at -6 dB was 41%. Skin images were compared against those obtained with a lead-based 20-MHz commercial imaging probe. Despite significant differences in sensitivity between elements, in vivo images obtained with a BCTZ-based probe convincingly demonstrated the potential of integrating this piezoelectric material in an imaging probe.
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Ringgaard E, Levassort F, Wang K, Vaitekunas J, Nagata H. Lead-Free Piezoelectric Transducers. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2024; 71:3-15. [PMID: 38060358 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2023.3340950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Research activities on lead-free piezoelectric materials have been ongoing for over 20 years. Generally, the applicability of the main material families is less universal than that of lead-based compositions such as lead zirconate titanate, but in some cases, the corresponding applications have already been identified. Due to the extensive research, it is now possible to manufacture demonstrators and prototypes for different applications and the authors propose in this article to take stock of these advances. For this, we have chosen to first recall briefly the main new material systems using a simplistic "soft" and "hard" classification for approaching the various resonant transducer applications. Medical imaging applications that represent one of the most important fields are presented in a second step together with other low-power transducers. Then, a variety of applications are merged under the heading of high-power transducers. In addition, we mention two points that are important to consider when manufacturing at a larger scale. For the design of transducers, complete datasets must be available, especially if modeling tools are used. Finally, the commercialization of these lead-free materials imposes essential secondary requirements in terms of availability, reproducibility, sample size, and so on.
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Shi Y, Zhang N, Liu J, Wang J, Shen S, Zhang J, An X, Si Q. Preparation of Nanocomposites for Antibacterial Orthodontic Invisible Appliance Based on Piezoelectric Catalysis. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:s23115336. [PMID: 37300063 DOI: 10.3390/s23115336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Compared to fixed orthodontic appliances with brackets, thermoplastic invisible orthodontic aligners offer several advantages, such as high aesthetic performance, good comfort, and convenient oral health maintenance, and are widely used in orthodontic fields. However, prolonged use of thermoplastic invisible aligners may lead to demineralization and even caries in most patients' teeth, as they enclose the tooth surface for an extended period. To address this issue, we have created PETG composites that contain piezoelectric barium titanate nanoparticles (BaTiO3NPs) to obtain antibacterial properties. First, we prepared piezoelectric composites by incorporating varying amounts of BaTiO3NPs into PETG matrix material. The composites were then characterized using techniques such as SEM, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy, which confirmed the successful synthesis of the composites. We cultivated biofilms of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) on the surface of the nanocomposites under both polarized and unpolarized conditions. We then activated piezoelectric charges by subjecting the nanocomposites to 10 Hz cyclic mechanical vibration. The interactions between the biofilms and materials were evaluated by measuring the biofilm biomass. The addition of piezoelectric nanoparticles had a noticeable antibacterial effect on both the unpolarized and polarized conditions. Under polarized conditions, nanocomposites demonstrated a greater antibacterial effect than under unpolarized conditions. Additionally, as the concentration of BaTiO3NPs increased, the antibacterial rate also increased, with the surface antibacterial rate reaching 67.39% (30 wt% BaTiO3NPs). These findings have the potential for application in wearable, invisible appliances to improve clinical services and reduce the need for cleaning methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Shi
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China
| | - Ningning Zhang
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China
| | - Jiajie Liu
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China
| | - Junbin Wang
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China
| | - Shuhui Shen
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China
| | - Jingxiang Zhang
- School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China
| | - Xiaoli An
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China
| | - Qingzong Si
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China
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Sun Y, Jiang L, Chen R, Li R, Kang H, Zeng Y, Yan Y, Priya S, Zhou Q. Design and Fabrication of 15-MHz Ultrasonic Transducers Based on a Textured Pb(Mg 1/3Nb 2/3)O 3-Pb(Zr, Ti)O 3 Ceramic. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2022; 69:3095-3101. [PMID: 35073262 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2022.3145882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound medical imaging is an entrenched and powerful tool for medical diagnosis. Image quality in ultrasound is mainly dependent on performance of piezoelectric transducer elements, which is further related to the electromechanical performance of the constituent piezoelectric materials. With rising need for piezoelectric materials with better performance and low cost, a highly 〈001〉 textured piezo ceramic, Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-Pb(Zr, Ti)O3, has been developed. Recently, textured ceramic materials can be produced at low cost and exhibit high piezoelectric strain constants and large electromechanical coupling coefficients. In this work, 15-MHz ultrasonic transducers with an effective aperture of 2.5 mm in diameter based on these highly 〈001〉 textured ceramics have been successfully fabricated. The fabricated transducers achieved a central frequency of 15 MHz, a fractional bandwidth of 67% (at -6 dB), a high effective electromechanical coupling coefficient [Formula: see text] of 0.55, and a low insertion loss (IL) of 21 dB. Ex vivo ultrasonic imaging of a porcine eyeball was used to assess the tomography quality of the transducer. The results show that utilized textured ceramic has a great potential in developing ultrasonic devices for biomedical imaging purposes.
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Ma X, Liu Y, Ruan J, Tao C, Yuan J, Chang Y, Cao W. Lead-Free Ultrasonic Phased Array Transducer for Human Heart Imaging. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2022; 69:751-760. [PMID: 34662277 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2021.3121086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Substantial advancement has been made in recent years on lead-free piezoelectric materials, but up to date, it is still a challenge to make a true medical imaging ultrasonic array transducer with center frequency <3 MHz. There are two major obstacles: the difficulty of fabricating large enough uniform lead-free piezoelectric materials with high piezoelectric coefficient, and the severe electrical impedance mismatch of an array element to the imaging system due to the relatively low dielectric constant of lead-free materials compared to lead-based piezoelectric materials. We resolved these two issues by employing texture engineering and stacking piezoelectric-layer design, which allowed us to fabricate an 80 element phased array transducer with the center frequency of 2.9 MHz and a bandwidth >80% for human heart imaging. The high-quality lead-free (Ba0.95Ca0.05)(Ti0.94Zr0.06)O3 textured ceramic plate has the size of 23×22×0.8 mm3 with the piezoelectric constant d33 = 570 pC/N. Phantom imaging and internal clinical human heart imaging demonstrated that this lead-free phased array can produce comparable imaging quality to that of a commercial PZT-5H ceramic-based phased array transducer, which demonstrated the practicality of using lead-free materials to replace PZT ceramics in phased array transducers for medical imaging applications.
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Dhall A, Islam S, Park M, Zhang Y, Kim A, Hwang G. Bimodal Nanocomposite Platform with Antibiofilm and Self-Powering Functionalities for Biomedical Applications. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:40379-40391. [PMID: 34406755 PMCID: PMC8548987 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c11791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Advances in microelectronics and nanofabrication have led to the development of various implantable biomaterials. However, biofilm-associated infection on medical devices still remains a major hurdle that substantially undermines the clinical applicability and advancement of biomaterial systems. Given their attractive piezoelectric behavior, barium titanate (BTO)-based materials have also been used in biological applications. Despite its versatility, the feasibility of BTO-embedded biomaterials as anti-infectious implantable medical devices in the human body has not been explored yet. Here, the first demonstration of clinically viable BTO-nanocomposites is presented. It demonstrates potent antibiofilm properties against Streptococcus mutans without bactericidal effect while retaining their piezoelectric and mechanical behaviors. This antiadhesive effect led to ∼10-fold reduction in colony-forming units in vitro. To elucidate the underlying mechanism for this effect, data depicting unfavorable interaction energy profiles between BTO-nanocomposites and S. mutans using the classical and extended Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek theories is presented. Direct cell-to-surface binding force data using atomic force microscopy also corroborate reduced adhesion between BTO-nanocomposites and S. mutans. Interestingly, the poling process on BTO-nanocomposites resulted in asymmetrical surface charge density on each side, which may help tackle two major issues in prosthetics-bacterial contamination and tissue integration. Finally, BTO-nanocomposites exhibit superior biocompatibility toward human gingival fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Overall, BTO-embedded composites exhibit broad-scale potential to be used in biological settings as energy-harvestable antibiofilm surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atul Dhall
- Department of Preventive and Restorative Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sayemul Islam
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Moonchul Park
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Preventive and Restorative Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Albert Kim
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
- Corresponding Authors: Geelsu Hwang, ; Albert Kim,
| | - Geelsu Hwang
- Department of Preventive and Restorative Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Corresponding Authors: Geelsu Hwang, ; Albert Kim,
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8
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Sung JH, Chang JH. Mechanically Rotating Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) Transducer: A Review. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 21:3907. [PMID: 34198822 PMCID: PMC8201242 DOI: 10.3390/s21113907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a valuable imaging modality for the diagnosis of atherosclerosis. It provides useful clinical information, such as lumen size, vessel wall thickness, and plaque composition, by providing a cross-sectional vascular image. For several decades, IVUS has made remarkable progress in improving the accuracy of diagnosing cardiovascular disease that remains the leading cause of death globally. As the quality of IVUS images mainly depends on the performance of the IVUS transducer, various IVUS transducers have been developed. Therefore, in this review, recently developed mechanically rotating IVUS transducers, especially ones exploiting piezoelectric ceramics or single crystals, are discussed. In addition, this review addresses the history and technical challenges in the development of IVUS transducers and the prospects of next-generation IVUS transducers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jin-Ho Chang
- Department of Information and Communication Engineering, Deagu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu 42988, Korea;
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Peng C, Wu H, Kim S, Dai X, Jiang X. Recent Advances in Transducers for Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) Imaging. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 21:3540. [PMID: 34069613 PMCID: PMC8160965 DOI: 10.3390/s21103540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
As a well-known medical imaging methodology, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging plays a critical role in diagnosis, treatment guidance and post-treatment assessment of coronary artery diseases. By cannulating a miniature ultrasound transducer mounted catheter into an artery, the vessel lumen opening, vessel wall morphology and other associated blood and vessel properties can be precisely assessed in IVUS imaging. Ultrasound transducer, as the key component of an IVUS system, is critical in determining the IVUS imaging performance. In recent years, a wide range of achievements in ultrasound transducers have been reported for IVUS imaging applications. Herein, a comprehensive review is given on recent advances in ultrasound transducers for IVUS imaging. Firstly, a fundamental understanding of IVUS imaging principle, evaluation parameters and IVUS catheter are summarized. Secondly, three different types of ultrasound transducers (piezoelectric ultrasound transducer, piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer and capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer) for IVUS imaging are presented. Particularly, the recent advances in piezoelectric ultrasound transducer for IVUS imaging are extensively examined according to their different working mechanisms, configurations and materials adopted. Thirdly, IVUS-based multimodality intravascular imaging of atherosclerotic plaque is discussed. Finally, summary and perspectives on the future studies are highlighted for IVUS imaging applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Peng
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; (C.P.); (H.W.)
| | - Huaiyu Wu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; (C.P.); (H.W.)
| | | | - Xuming Dai
- Department of Cardiology, New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, Flushing, NY 11355, USA;
| | - Xiaoning Jiang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; (C.P.); (H.W.)
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Lv X, Zhu J, Xiao D, Zhang XX, Wu J. Emerging new phase boundary in potassium sodium-niobate based ceramics. Chem Soc Rev 2020; 49:671-707. [DOI: 10.1039/c9cs00432g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
A review of the newly emerging “new phase boundary” in potassium sodium niobate-based ceramics with high performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Lv
- Department of Materials Science
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu
- P. R. China
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering
| | - Jianguo Zhu
- Department of Materials Science
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu
- P. R. China
| | - Dingquan Xiao
- Department of Materials Science
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu
- P. R. China
| | - Xi-xiang Zhang
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
- Thuwal
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Jiagang Wu
- Department of Materials Science
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu
- P. R. China
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11
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Colchester RJ, Little C, Dwyer G, Noimark S, Alles EJ, Zhang EZ, Loder CD, Parkin IP, Papakonstantinou I, Beard PC, Finlay MC, Rakhit RD, Desjardins AE. All-Optical Rotational Ultrasound Imaging. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5576. [PMID: 30944379 PMCID: PMC6447544 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41970-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Miniaturised high-resolution imaging devices are valuable for guiding minimally invasive procedures such as vascular stent placements. Here, we present all-optical rotational B-mode pulse-echo ultrasound imaging. With this device, ultrasound transmission and reception are performed with light. The all-optical transducer in the probe comprised an optical fibre that delivered pulsed excitation light to an optical head at the distal end with a multi-walled carbon nanotube and polydimethylsiloxane composite coating. This coating was photoacoustically excited to generate a highly directional ultrasound beam perpendicular to the optical fibre axis. A concave Fabry-Pérot cavity at the distal end of an optical fibre, which was interrogated with a tuneable continuous-wave laser, served as an omnidirectional ultrasound receiver. The transmitted ultrasound had a -6 dB bandwidth of 31.3 MHz and a peak-to-peak pressure of 1.87 MPa, as measured at 1.5 mm from the probe. The receiver had a noise equivalent pressure <100 Pa over a 20 MHz bandwidth. With a maximum outer probe diameter of 1.25 mm, the probe provided imaging with an axial resolution better than 50 µm, and a real-time imaging rate of 5 frames per second. To investigate the capabilities of the probe, intraluminal imaging was performed in healthy swine carotid arteries. The results demonstrate that the all-optical probe is viable for clinical rotational ultrasound imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Colchester
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, Charles Bell House, 67-73 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7EJ, UK.
| | - Callum Little
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, Charles Bell House, 67-73 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7EJ, UK
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, Pond Street, London, NW3 2QG, UK
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - George Dwyer
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, Charles Bell House, 67-73 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7EJ, UK
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Sacha Noimark
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, Charles Bell House, 67-73 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7EJ, UK
- Materials Chemistry Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Erwin J Alles
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, Charles Bell House, 67-73 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7EJ, UK
| | - Edward Z Zhang
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Christopher D Loder
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, Pond Street, London, NW3 2QG, UK
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Ivan P Parkin
- Materials Chemistry Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Ioannis Papakonstantinou
- Photonic Innovations Lab, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, Roberts Building, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Paul C Beard
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, Charles Bell House, 67-73 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7EJ, UK
| | - Malcolm C Finlay
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, Charles Bell House, 67-73 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7EJ, UK
- William Harvey Cardiovascular Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health Centre, London, EC1A 7BE, UK
| | - Roby D Rakhit
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, Pond Street, London, NW3 2QG, UK
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Adrien E Desjardins
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, Charles Bell House, 67-73 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7EJ, UK
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Zhang Q, Pang X, Zhang Z, Su M, Hong J, Zheng H, Qiu W, Lam KH. Miniature Transducer Using PNN-PZT-based Ceramic for Intravascular Ultrasound. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2019; 66:1102-1109. [PMID: 30908214 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2019.2906652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In this work, the development and performance evaluation of a high-frequency miniature ultrasonic transducer based on a Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3-Pb(Zr0.3Ti0.7)O3 (PNN-PZT-based) ceramic for intravascular imaging application are reported. The fabricated PNN-PZT-based ceramic possesses ultrahigh relative clamped dielectric permittivity (.S/.0 = 3409) and high electromechanical coupling capability (kt = 0.60). A 42-MHz high-frequency side-looking ultrasonic transducer probe using the PNN-PZT-based ceramic with a miniature aperture of 0.33 mm × 0.33 mm was designed and fabricated, which exhibited a wide -6 dB bandwidth of 79% and an insertion loss of -19.6 dB. High spatial resolution, including the axial resolution of 36 μm and lateral resolution of 141 μm, was determined by imaging a 13-μm tungsten wire phantom. Ex vivo intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging of a porcine coronary artery was performed to show the imaging capability of the miniature transducer. The results demonstrated the great potential of PNN-PZT-based ceramic for high-resolution miniature transducers application.
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Development of High-Frequency (>60 MHz) Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) Transducer by Using Asymmetric Electrodes for Improved Beam Profile. SENSORS 2018; 18:s18124414. [PMID: 30551639 PMCID: PMC6308511 DOI: 10.3390/s18124414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
In most commercial single-element intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) transducers, with 20 MHz to 40 MHz center frequencies, a conductive adhesive is used to bond a micro-sized cable for the signal line to the surface of the transducer aperture (<1 mm × 1 mm size) where ultrasound beam is generated. Therefore, the vibration of the piezoelectric layer is significantly disturbed by the adhesive with the signal line, thereby causing problems, such as reduced sensitivity, shortened penetration depth, and distorted beam profile. This phenomenon becomes more serious as the center frequency of the IVUS transducer is increased, and the aperture size becomes small. Therefore, we propose a novel IVUS acoustic stack employing asymmetric electrodes with conductive and non-conductive backing blocks. The purpose of this study is to verify the extent of performance degradation caused by the adhesive with the signal line, and to demonstrate how much performance degradation can be minimized by the proposed scheme. Finite element analysis (FEA) simulation was conducted, and the results show that −3 dB, −6 dB, and −10 dB penetration depths of the conventional transducer were shortened by 20%, 25%, and 19% respectively, while those of the proposed transducer were reduced only 3%, 4%, and 0% compared with their ideal transducers which have the same effective aperture size. Besides, the proposed transducer improved the −3 dB, −6 dB, and −10 dB penetration depths by 15%, 12%, and 10% respectively, compared with the conventional transducer. We also fabricated a 60 MHz IVUS transducer by using the proposed technique, and high-resolution IVUS B-mode (brightness mode) images were obtained. Thus, the proposed scheme can be one of the potential ways to provide more uniform beam profile resulting in improving the signal to noise ratio (SNR) in IVUS image.
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Chen R, Jiang L, Zhang T, Matsuoka T, Yamazaki M, Qian X, Lu G, Safari A, Zhu J, Shung KK, Ma T, Zhou Q. Eco-Friendly Highly Sensitive Transducers Based on a New KNN-NTK-FM Lead-Free Piezoelectric Ceramic for High-Frequency Biomedical Ultrasonic Imaging Applications. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2018; 66:1580-1587. [PMID: 30452346 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2018.2876063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
High-frequency ultrasonic imaging with improved spatial resolution has gained increasing attention in the field of biomedical imaging. Sensitivity of transducers plays a pivotal role in determining ultrasonic image quality. Conventional ultrasonic transducers are mostly made from lead-based piezoelectric materials that may be harmful to the human body and the environment. In this study, a new (K,Na)NbO3-KTiNbO5-BaZrO3-Fe2O3-MgO (KNN-NTK-FM) lead-free piezoelectric ceramic was utilized in developing eco-friendly transducers for high-frequency biomedical ultrasonic imaging applications. A needle transducer with a small active aperture size of 0.45 × 0.55 mm2 was designed and evaluated. The fabricated transducer exhibits great performance with a high center frequency (52.6 MHz), a good electromechanical coupling (keff ∼ 0.45), a large bandwidth (64.4% at -6 dB), and a very low two-way insertion loss (10.1 dB). Such high sensitivity is superior to those transducers based on other lead-free piezoelectric materials and can even be comparable to the lead-based ones. Imaging performance of the KNN-NTK-FM needle transducer was analyzed by imaging a wire phantom and an agar tissue-mimicking phantom. Imaging capabilities of the transducer were further demonstrated by ex vivo imaging studies on a porcine eyeball and a rabbit aorta. The results suggest that the KNN-NTK-FM piezoceramic has many attractive properties over other lead-free piezoelectric materials in developing eco-friendly highly sensitive transducers for high-frequency biomedical ultrasonic imaging applications.
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Zhang Z, Chen R, Wang B, Zhang T, Su M, Liu R, Yang J, Cao X, Li Y, Zheng H, Shung KK, Humayun MS, Zhou Q, Qiu W. Development of a KNN Ceramic-Based Lead-Free Linear Array Ultrasonic Transducer. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2018; 65:2113-2120. [PMID: 30183624 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2018.2868413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
High-frequency array transducers can provide higher imaging resolution than traditional transducers, thus resolving smaller features and producing finer images. Commercially available ultrasonic transducers are mostly made with lead-based piezoelectric materials, which are harmful to the environment and public health. This paper presents the development of the 64-elements high-frequency (18.3 MHz) lead-free linear array ultrasonic transducer based on (K0.44Na0.52Li0.04)(Nb0.86Ta0.1Sb0.04)O3 (KNLNTS) piezoceramic. Array elements were spaced at a 75- pitch, and interconnected via a custom flexible circuit. The two matching layers and a light backing material were used to improve the performance of the array. The developed KNLNTS ceramic-based lead-free linear array exhibited a center frequency of 18.3 MHz, an average -6-dB bandwidth of 42%, an average two-way insertion loss of 41.8 dB, and a crosstalk between the adjacent elements of less than -53 dB near the center frequency. An image of a tungsten wire phantom was acquired using a Verasonics Vantage research ultrasound system. Results from imaging tests demonstrated a good imaging capability with a spatial resolution of axially and laterally, indicating that the lead-free linear array ultrasonic transducer based on KNLNTS ceramics is a promising alternative to lead-based transducers for ultrasound medical imaging.
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Guo F, Wang Y, Huang Z, Qiu W, Zhang Z, Wang Z, Dong J, Yang B, Cao W. Magnesium Alloy Matching Layer for PMN-PT Single Crystal Transducer Applications. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2018; 65:1865-1872. [PMID: 30072319 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2018.2861394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we propose using magnesium alloy as the matching layer for the ultrasonic transducer made of 0.68 Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.32PbTiO3 (PMN-0.32PT) single crystal. The complete sets of elastic constants of AZ31B, GW83, and ZK60 magnesium alloys have been measured, which is practically a homogeneous material. The AZ31B magnesium alloy has an acoustic impedance of 10.36 MRayl, which is suitable for the development of high-performance ultrasonic transducers. A 3.5-MHz PMN-PT single crystal transducer has been designed and fabricated successfully using AZ31B magnesium alloy as the first quarter-wavelength matching layer. The -6-dB bandwidth and two-way insertion loss at the center frequency of the transducer are about 67% and 11.4 dB, respectively, much superior to the transducer fabricated using 0-3 composite matching layer. The high performance of this transducer indicates that the magnesium alloy is indeed an excellent matching layer material for ultrasonic transducer applications.
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Shao Z, Rong Q, Chen F, Qiao X. High-spatial-resolution ultrasonic sensor using a micro suspended-core fiber. OPTICS EXPRESS 2018; 26:10820-10832. [PMID: 29716013 DOI: 10.1364/oe.26.010820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A high-resolution fiber-optic ultrasonic sensor based on a suspended-core fiber was designed and experimentally demonstrated. The intrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer consisting of a micro suspended-core from acid corrosion of a grapefruit fiber proved highly sensitive to a wide range of ultrasonic wave (UW) frequencies. A compact interrogation system using spectral sideband filtering was constructed for UW detection. The sensor exhibited significantly improved spatial resolution and detection sensitivity by etching the suspended-core diameter to few microns. Sensor fabrication involves only fiber splicing and corrosion, which provide a self-shielding cladding surrounding and protecting the core from collisions. This sensor is an excellent candidate for high-quality UW detection.
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Zhang Z, Li F, Chen R, Zhang T, Cao X, Zhang S, Shrout TR, Zheng H, Shung KK, Humayun MS, Qiu W, Zhou Q. High-Performance Ultrasound Needle Transducer Based on Modified PMN-PT Ceramic With Ultrahigh Clamped Dielectric Permittivity. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2018; 65:223-230. [PMID: 29389654 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2017.2778738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A modified Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) polycrystalline ceramic with ultrahigh relative clamped dielectric permittivity ( ) and high piezoelectric properties ( pC/N, ) was used to fabricate high-frequency miniature ultrasound transducers. A 39-MHz high-frequency ultrasound needle transducer with a miniature aperture of 0.4 mm mm was designed and successfully characterized. The fabricated needle transducer had an electromechanical coupling factor of 0.55, large bandwidth of 80% at -6 dB, and low insertion loss of -13 dB. A wire phantom and porcine eyeball imaging study showed good imaging capability of this needle transducer. The transducer performance was found to be superior to that of other needle transducers with miniature apertures, making this modified PMN-PT ceramic-based needle transducer quite promising for minimally invasive procedures in medical applications.
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Yoon S, Williams J, Kang BJ, Yoon C, Cabrera-Munoz N, Jeong JS, Lee SG, Shung KK, Kim HH. Angled-focused 45 MHz PMN-PT single element transducer for intravascular ultrasound imaging. SENSORS AND ACTUATORS. A, PHYSICAL 2015; 228:16-22. [PMID: 25914443 PMCID: PMC4405812 DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2015.02.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
A transducer with an angled and focused aperture for intravascular ultrasound imaging has been developed. The acoustic stack for the angled-focused transducer was made of PMN-PT single crystal with one matching layer, one protective coating layer, and a highly damped backing layer. It was then press-focused to a desired focal length and inserted into a thin needle housing with an angled tip. A transducer with an angled and unfocused aperture was also made, following the same fabrication procedure, to compare the performance of the two transducers. The focused and unfocused transducers were tested to measure their center frequencies, bandwidths, and spatial resolutions. Lateral resolution of the angled-focused transducer (AFT) improved more than two times compared to that of the angled-unfocused transducer (AUT). A tissue-mimicking phantom in water and a rabbit aorta tissue sample in rabbit blood were scanned using AFT and AUT. Imaging with AFT offered improved contrast, over imaging with AUT, of the tissue-mimicking phantom and the rabbit aorta tissue sample by 23 dB and 8 dB, respectively. The results show that AFT has strong potential to provide morphological and pathological information of coronary arteries with high resolution and high contrast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangpil Yoon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Jay Williams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Bong Jin Kang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Changhan Yoon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Nestor Cabrera-Munoz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Jong Seob Jeong
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Dongguk University, Seoul 100-715, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Goo Lee
- IBULE Photonics Co., Ltd., Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - K. Kirk Shung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Hyung Ham Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Analogic Corporation, Peabody, MA 01960, USA
- Corresponding author at: 8 Centennial Drive, Peabody, MA 01960, USA. Tel.: +1 978 326 4511. (H.H. Kim)
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Ultrasonic Transducer Fabricated Using Lead-Free BFO-BTO+Mn Piezoelectric 1-3 Composite. ACTUATORS 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/act4020127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Chen Y, Qiu WB, Lam KH, Liu BQ, Jiang XP, Zheng HR, Luo HS, Chan HLW, Dai JY. Focused intravascular ultrasonic probe using dimpled transducer elements. ULTRASONICS 2015; 56:227-231. [PMID: 25108608 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2014.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Revised: 07/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/19/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
High-frequency focused intravascular ultrasonic probes were fabricated in this study using dimple technique based on PMN-PT single crystal and lead-free KNN-KBT-Mn ceramic. The center frequency, bandwidth, and insertion loss of the PMN-PT transducer were 34 MHz, 75%, and 22.9 dB, respectively. For the lead-free probe, the center frequency, bandwidth, and insertion loss were found to be 40 MHz, 72%, and 28.8 dB, respectively. The ultrasonic images of wire phantom and vessels with good resolution were obtained to evaluate the transducer performance. The -6 dB axial and lateral resolutions of the PMN-PT probe were determined to be 58 μm and 131 μm, respectively. For the lead-free probe, the axial and lateral resolutions were found to be 44 μm and 125 μm, respectively. These results suggest that the mechanical dimpling technique has good potential in preparing focused transducers for intravascular ultrasound applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Chen
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China; Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - W B Qiu
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - K H Lam
- Department of Electrical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - B Q Liu
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - X P Jiang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, Jingdezhen, China
| | - H R Zheng
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - H S Luo
- Information Materials and Devices Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, China
| | - H L W Chan
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China; Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - J Y Dai
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China; Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
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