Three-Dimensional Ultrasound Imaging Scanner Driven by low voltage multilayer piezoelectric ceramics

Piezoelectric-driven ultrasound scanners (PDUS), with their simple structure and absence of electromagnetic radiation, are gaining prominence for their precision in ultrasound imaging. Traditional PDUS employ orthogonally arranged piezoelectric tubes operating in d31 mode, which have the disadvantages of high driving voltages and low excitation efficiency. To address these issues, we have introduced a high-frequency ultrasound imaging scanner driven by low voltage multilayer piezoelectric ceramics (LVMPC) with a singular transducer element. The scanner can achieve a maximum displacement of 8.7 mm in water using only an amplitude-modulated drive signal of 77.6 Vpp and 110.7 Hz, while also enabling multiple scanning modes. Ultrasound imaging experiments using tungsten wire phantom determined the axial and lateral resolutions to be 65 μm and 180 μm, respectively. Our results demonstrate that the proposed PDUS, with its miniaturization and efficient lowvoltage drive, shows promise for use in superficial skin 3D ultrasound imaging.