New extremely broadband ferroelectric polymer ultrasound transducers

Custom immersible ultrasound transducers have been developed for an application requiring -6 dB fractional bandwidths in excess of 150%, spanning a frequency range of approximately 5-100 MHz. The copolymer transducers were optimally designed for maximum bandwidth and efficiency for operation in water. The design is also custom optimized for the specific dielectric and piezoelectric properties of the P(VDF-TrFE) poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymer used. The design, fabrication, and testing, of these transducers are described. The transducers have shown excellent broadband performance, capable of extending beyond 1.5 decades of frequency, with improvements in insertion loss still desirable