Fabrication of 1-3 piezoelectric composites via modified soft mold process for 40 MHz ultrasonic medical transducers

High performance 1-3 piezocomposites are important components of high-frequency ultrasound transducers, which are used for the medical imaging of fine structures in human tissues. In this study, a modified soft mold process was developed for the fabrication of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramic 1-3 piezocomposites by compressing soft mold with powder. First, the piezocomposite structures were designed and optimized for highfrequency applications at 40 MHz via finite element analysis (FEA). Then, 1-3 piezocomposites were fabricated through a soft mold process, with PZT pillars as small as 25 ism in diameter. The morphology, phase composition, homogeneity, and microstructure of the obtained 1-3 piezocomposites were investigated using SEM, XRD and Raman spectroscopy analyses. The dielectric, piezoelectric, and acoustic properties of the 1-3 piezocomposites were measured to verify the efficacy of the soft mold technology. The present work introduces an effective and cost-effective strategy for fabricating 1-3 piezocomposites with excellent electromechanical performance for high-frequency transducers, which can be used in the fields of medical imaging and ultrasound biomicroscopy.