A calculation scheme for the optimum design of ultrasonic transducers

Abstract A calculation scheme that establishes the transfer functionof a thickness-mode piezoelectric transducer is described. A computer program enables flexible manipulation of the design. Parameters that can be inserted are the properties of the piezo-material, the quarter-wavelength layer(s), the backing load and the electrical tuning and matching. Optimization criteria such as maximum bandwidth, optimum dynamic range, minimum pulse duration and minimum round-trip insertion loss (or maximum efficiency) are discussed.