High intensity ultrasound transducers and methods and devices for manufacturing high intensity ultrasound transducers

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an ultrasound transducer is provided. The ultrasound transducer is activated and the activity across the transducer is measured to determine whether the activity at any area does not meet an acceptance criteria. The transducer is then modified so that the area meets the acceptance criteria. The transducer may be modified with a laser which removes material from the area which does not meet the acceptance criteria.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for modifying an ultrasound transducer, the system comprising:
 a sensor which detects an activity level across an area of an ultrasound transducer, the sensor comparing the level of activity to a desired level of activity; and   a modifying apparatus which is adapted to modify the ultrasound transducer to modify the level of activity at a location which does not meet an acceptance criteria.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor detects at least one of an acoustic activity and a temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a memory component which receives the activity level across the area of the ultrasound transducer to create a map of the activity; and   the modifying apparatus being coupled to the memory component to receive the map.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the modifying apparatus removes material from the ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sensor detects the activity level on a first side of the ultrasound transducer; and   the modifying apparatus modifies a second side of the transducer opposite the first side.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the modifying apparatus is a laser. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the modifying apparatus is configured to alter poling on a part of the transducer. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the modifying apparatus is configured to depole the part of the transducer. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the modifying apparatus is adapted to remove material from the transducer. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the modifying apparatus is adapted to change the shape of the ultrasound transducer to modify the activity level at the area which does not meet the acceptance criteria. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor indirectly detects the activity of the transducer. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor detects electrical impulses from the transducer resulting from directing acoustic energy at the transducer. 
     
     
         13 . An acoustic test and yield-improvement system capable of mapping and correcting out-of-spec acoustic activity, the system comprising:
 an imaging device which can measure activity of a transducer;   a modification apparatus capable of modifying a level of activity at a location of the transducer having out-of-spec acoustic activity;   wherein the imaging device provides spatial locational information to the modification apparatus such that the out-of-spec location identified during an activation can be brought in to specification by the modification apparatus.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the activation is at a power level substantially reduced from a full-power design limit of the transducer. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the activation of the transducer is in contact with at least one of water, a workpiece, an acoustic standoff and a phantom.