Thin-film flexural ultrasonic transducers for air-coupled measurement

Sam Adams; Michael Mckinlay; Carlos García Núñez; Lei Kang; Steve Dixon; Des Gibson; Andrew Feeney

doi:10.1109/IUS62464.2025.11201545

Thin-film flexural ultrasonic transducers for air-coupled measurement

Sam Adams
, Michael Mckinlay
, Carlos García Núñez
, Lei Kang
, Steve Dixon
, Des Gibson
, Andrew Feeney

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

4 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The flexural ultrasonic transducer (FUT) is composed of a circular metallic plate bonded to a piezoelectric ceramic disc and attached to a cylindrical support. The ceramic’s vibrations stimulate resonant modes in the plate, generating ultrasound waves in the medium in front. FUTs are utilised for proximity measurement, but with an increasing focus on using lead-free piezoceramic elements. Also, it is challenging to accurately distribute epoxy resin between the ceramic and the plate. Through thin films, the epoxy bond layer can be removed, allowing for FUT geometry to be readily controlled, with the potential for thicker films for transmitter and thinner films for receiver FUTs, enabling tailored responses. This will enable high-frequency FUTs, above 60 kHz, at which commercial FUTs struggle to operate efficiently.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2025 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS)
Place of Publication	Piscataway, NJ
Publisher	IEEE
Number of pages	4
ISBN (Electronic)	9798331523329
ISBN (Print)	9798331523336
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/IUS62464.2025.11201545
Publication status	Published - 20 Oct 2025

Publication series

Name	IEEE Conference Proceedings
Publisher	IEEE
ISSN (Print)	1948-5719
ISSN (Electronic)	1948-5727

Keywords

FUT
piezoceramic elements
thin films
epoxy bond layer
high frequency

Access to Document

10.1109/IUS62464.2025.11201545

2025 09 15 Adams et al Flexural accepted - for PureAccepted author manuscript, 607 KBLicence: CC BY 4.0

Cite this

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title = "Thin-film flexural ultrasonic transducers for air-coupled measurement",

abstract = "The flexural ultrasonic transducer (FUT) is composed of a circular metallic plate bonded to a piezoelectric ceramic disc and attached to a cylindrical support. The ceramic{\textquoteright}s vibrations stimulate resonant modes in the plate, generating ultrasound waves in the medium in front. FUTs are utilised for proximity measurement, but with an increasing focus on using lead-free piezoceramic elements. Also, it is challenging to accurately distribute epoxy resin between the ceramic and the plate. Through thin films, the epoxy bond layer can be removed, allowing for FUT geometry to be readily controlled, with the potential for thicker films for transmitter and thinner films for receiver FUTs, enabling tailored responses. This will enable high-frequency FUTs, above 60 kHz, at which commercial FUTs struggle to operate efficiently. ",

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AU - Adams, Sam

AU - Mckinlay, Michael

AU - García Núñez, Carlos

AU - Kang, Lei

AU - Dixon, Steve

AU - Gibson, Des

AU - Feeney, Andrew

PY - 2025/10/20

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N2 - The flexural ultrasonic transducer (FUT) is composed of a circular metallic plate bonded to a piezoelectric ceramic disc and attached to a cylindrical support. The ceramic’s vibrations stimulate resonant modes in the plate, generating ultrasound waves in the medium in front. FUTs are utilised for proximity measurement, but with an increasing focus on using lead-free piezoceramic elements. Also, it is challenging to accurately distribute epoxy resin between the ceramic and the plate. Through thin films, the epoxy bond layer can be removed, allowing for FUT geometry to be readily controlled, with the potential for thicker films for transmitter and thinner films for receiver FUTs, enabling tailored responses. This will enable high-frequency FUTs, above 60 kHz, at which commercial FUTs struggle to operate efficiently.

AB - The flexural ultrasonic transducer (FUT) is composed of a circular metallic plate bonded to a piezoelectric ceramic disc and attached to a cylindrical support. The ceramic’s vibrations stimulate resonant modes in the plate, generating ultrasound waves in the medium in front. FUTs are utilised for proximity measurement, but with an increasing focus on using lead-free piezoceramic elements. Also, it is challenging to accurately distribute epoxy resin between the ceramic and the plate. Through thin films, the epoxy bond layer can be removed, allowing for FUT geometry to be readily controlled, with the potential for thicker films for transmitter and thinner films for receiver FUTs, enabling tailored responses. This will enable high-frequency FUTs, above 60 kHz, at which commercial FUTs struggle to operate efficiently.

KW - FUT

KW - piezoceramic elements

KW - thin films

KW - epoxy bond layer

KW - high frequency

U2 - 10.1109/IUS62464.2025.11201545

DO - 10.1109/IUS62464.2025.11201545

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 9798331523336

T3 - IEEE Conference Proceedings

BT - 2025 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS)

PB - IEEE

CY - Piscataway, NJ

ER -

Thin-film flexural ultrasonic transducers for air-coupled measurement

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