Fully Printed Flexible Ultrasound Transducer for Medical Applications

The fabrication of a fully printed, lead-free, polymer piezoelectric transducer is presented and the characterization of its structural, dielectric, and ferroelectric properties at different processing stages is demonstrated. The performance of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) transducers with resonance frequency analyses, acoustic power measurements, and pulse-echo experiments is evaluated. Notably, for the first time for a fully printed transducer, an optimal performance in the medical ultrasound range (<15 MHz) is demonstrated with acoustic power >1 W cm(-2), which is promising for applications in epidermal and wearable electronics. Overall, the findings provide a strong foundation for future research in the area of flexible ultrasound transducers.

Automated summary

We present the fabrication of a fully printed, lead-free, polymer piezoelectric transducer and demonstrate the characterization of its structural, dielectric, and ferroelectric properties at different processing stages. The performance of the transducer made with poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) is evaluated through resonance frequency analyses, acoustic power measurements, and pulse-echo experiments. Importantly, we demonstrate an optimal performance in the medical ultrasound range (<15 MHz) with acoustic power >1 W cm(-2) for the first time in a fully printed transducer, which shows promise for applications in epidermal and wearable electronics. Overall, these findings lay a strong foundation for future research in the field of flexible ultrasound transducers.