Structure design and sensitivity analysis of flexible ultrasonic transducer array

To investigate the influence of element parameters on the performance and acoustic field of flexible ultrasonic transducer arrays, this study employs finite element multiphysics simulation software to analyze various parameters of flexible ultrasonic transducers within a multiphysics coupled field. The analysis begins with simulating the width and thickness of piezoelectric materials in a single-element ultrasonic transducer structure. Simulation results indicate that the electromechanical coupling coefficient of the ultrasonic transducer exhibits a quasi-sinusoidal relationship with width. When the piezoelectric material width is 1.8 mm, the electromechanical coupling coefficient reaches its maximum at a thickness of 0.4 mm. Subsequently, simulations were conducted on various parameters of the flexible ultrasonic transducer array. Key investigations included the effects of piezoelectric unit count, inter-unit spacing, and frequency on the ultrasonic focusing performance of linear phased array transducers. Findings indicate that the focusing capability of flexible ultrasonic transducer arrays improves with reduced spacing and increased unit count. However, due to varying practical application requirements and manufacturing precision constraints, array parameters should be selected by comprehensively considering real-world factors. Overall, this study employs multiphysics coupling simulation to visually demonstrate how array element parameters influence the performance of flexible ultrasonic transducers. It provides valuable reference for advancing flexible ultrasonic technology from laboratory research toward commercial application.