Flexible ultrasound arrays with embossed polymer structures for medical imaging

Zhongming Chen; Qilin Hua; Guozhen Shen

doi:10.1088/1674-4926/24050042

J. Semicond. > 2024, Volume 45 > Issue 8 > 080401

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Flexible ultrasound arrays with embossed polymer structures for medical imaging

Zhongming Chen^{1, 2}, Qilin Hua^{1, 2,} and Guozhen Shen^{1, 2,}

+ Author Affiliations

Corresponding author: Qilin Hua, huaqilin@bit.edu.cn; Guozhen Shen, gzshen@bit.edu.cn

DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/24050042

References

[1]	Hua Q, Shen G. Low-dimensional nanostructures for monolithic 3D-integrated flexible and stretchable electronics. Chemical Society Reviews, 2024, 53(3), 1316 doi: 10.1039/D3CS00918A
[2]	Hua Q, Shen G. A wearable sweat patch for non-invasive and wireless monitoring inflammatory status. Journal of Semiconductors, 2023, 44(10), 100401 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/44/10/100401
[3]	Zhou J, Guo Y, Wang Y, et al. Flexible and wearable acoustic wave technologies. Applied Physics Reviews, 2023, 10(2), 021311 doi: 10.1063/5.0142470
[4]	Wells P N. Ultrasonic imaging of the human body. Reports on progress in physics, 1999, 62(5), 671 doi: 10.1088/0034-4885/62/5/201
[5]	Wei R, Hua Q, Shen G. Wireless multisite sensing systems for continuous physiological monitoring. Science China Materials, 2024 doi: 10.1007/s40843-024-2910-x
[6]	Fiering J O, Hultman P, Lee W, et al. High-density flexible interconnect for two-dimensional ultrasound arrays. IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control, 2000, 47(3), 764 doi: 10.1109/58.842067
[7]	Guan K, Chen D, Hua Q, et al. Sweat-permeable electronic patches by designing three-dimensional liquid diodes. Journal of Semiconductors, 2024, 45(7), 070401 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/24040035
[8]	Hu H, Zhang C, Ding Y, et al. A review of structure engineering of strain-tolerant architectures for stretchable electronics. Small Methods, 2023, 7, 2300671 doi: 10.1002/smtd.202300671
[9]	Jiao R, Wang R, Wang Y, et al. Vertical serpentine interconnect-enabled stretchable and curved electronics. Microsystems & Nanoengineering, 2023, 9, 149 doi: 10.1038/s41378-023-00625-w
[10]	Nouri Moqadam A, Kazemi R. Design of a novel dual-polarized microwave sensor for human bone fracture detection using reactive impedance surfaces. Scientific Reports, 2023, 13, 10776 doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-38039-3
[11]	Wang C, Li X, Hu H, et al. Monitoring of the central blood pressure waveform via a conformal ultrasonic device. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2018, 2(9), 687 doi: 10.1038/s41551-018-0287-x
[12]	Hu H, Huang H, Li M, et al. A wearable cardiac ultrasound imager. Nature, 2023, 613(7945), 667 doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05498-z
[13]	Wang C, Qi B, Lin M, et al. Continuous monitoring of deep-tissue haemodynamics with stretchable ultrasonic phased arrays. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2021, 5(7), 749 doi: 10.1038/s41551-021-00763-4
[14]	Hu H, Ma Y, Gao X, et al. Stretchable ultrasonic arrays for the three-dimensional mapping of the modulus of deep tissue. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2023, 7(10), 1321 doi: 10.1038/s41551-023-01038-w
[15]	Gao X, Chen X, Hu H, et al. A photoacoustic patch for three-dimensional imaging of hemoglobin and core temperature. Nature Communications, 2022, 13(1), 7757 doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-35455-3
[16]	Zhou Q, Lam K H, Zheng H, et al. Piezoelectric single crystal ultrasonic transducers for biomedical applications. Progress in materials science, 2014, 66, 87 doi: 10.1016/j.pmatsci.2014.06.001
[17]	van Neer P L M J, Peters L C J M, Verbeek R G F A, et al. Flexible large-area ultrasound arrays for medical applications made using embossed polymer structures. Nature Communications, 2024, 15(1), 2802 doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-47074-1

Fig. 1. (Color online) Flexible large-area ultrasound arrays for medical applications made using embossed polymer structures^[17]. (a) Confocal microscope image of the P(VDF-TrFE) film directly after embossing. (b) Schematic cross-section of the flexible ultrasound transducers. (c) Photograph of the finished ultrasound transducer foil, illustrating its thinness of 0.1 mm and mechanical flexibility. (d) Transmit efficiency and (e) receive sensitivity as a function of frequency in water. (f) Photograph of the array integrated on a 6-mm EUS probe. (g) Pulse-echo signal of the array wrapped around the EUS probe measured in water. (h) Measured transmit and receive transfer functions versus frequency. (i) Area uniformity of the peak transmit transfer at 8.2 MHz at the transducer surface. The color scale indicates the peak transmit transfer in Pa/V. (j) B-mode image captured with plane wave compounding. The gray scale indicates the intensity in dB. (k) Photograph of a large area of flexible ultrasonic blood pressure sensor while still on the support glass. (l) Transmit transfer in Pa/V at the resonance frequency of 8.2 MHz of transmit elements, obtained using hydrophone measurements. (m) Recorded in vivo ultrasound data of the carotid of a healthy volunteer of the optimally positioned array element.

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[1]	Hua Q, Shen G. Low-dimensional nanostructures for monolithic 3D-integrated flexible and stretchable electronics. Chemical Society Reviews, 2024, 53(3), 1316 doi: 10.1039/D3CS00918A
[2]	Hua Q, Shen G. A wearable sweat patch for non-invasive and wireless monitoring inflammatory status. Journal of Semiconductors, 2023, 44(10), 100401 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/44/10/100401
[3]	Zhou J, Guo Y, Wang Y, et al. Flexible and wearable acoustic wave technologies. Applied Physics Reviews, 2023, 10(2), 021311 doi: 10.1063/5.0142470
[4]	Wells P N. Ultrasonic imaging of the human body. Reports on progress in physics, 1999, 62(5), 671 doi: 10.1088/0034-4885/62/5/201
[5]	Wei R, Hua Q, Shen G. Wireless multisite sensing systems for continuous physiological monitoring. Science China Materials, 2024 doi: 10.1007/s40843-024-2910-x
[6]	Fiering J O, Hultman P, Lee W, et al. High-density flexible interconnect for two-dimensional ultrasound arrays. IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control, 2000, 47(3), 764 doi: 10.1109/58.842067
[7]	Guan K, Chen D, Hua Q, et al. Sweat-permeable electronic patches by designing three-dimensional liquid diodes. Journal of Semiconductors, 2024, 45(7), 070401 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/24040035
[8]	Hu H, Zhang C, Ding Y, et al. A review of structure engineering of strain-tolerant architectures for stretchable electronics. Small Methods, 2023, 7, 2300671 doi: 10.1002/smtd.202300671
[9]	Jiao R, Wang R, Wang Y, et al. Vertical serpentine interconnect-enabled stretchable and curved electronics. Microsystems & Nanoengineering, 2023, 9, 149 doi: 10.1038/s41378-023-00625-w
[10]	Nouri Moqadam A, Kazemi R. Design of a novel dual-polarized microwave sensor for human bone fracture detection using reactive impedance surfaces. Scientific Reports, 2023, 13, 10776 doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-38039-3
[11]	Wang C, Li X, Hu H, et al. Monitoring of the central blood pressure waveform via a conformal ultrasonic device. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2018, 2(9), 687 doi: 10.1038/s41551-018-0287-x
[12]	Hu H, Huang H, Li M, et al. A wearable cardiac ultrasound imager. Nature, 2023, 613(7945), 667 doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05498-z
[13]	Wang C, Qi B, Lin M, et al. Continuous monitoring of deep-tissue haemodynamics with stretchable ultrasonic phased arrays. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2021, 5(7), 749 doi: 10.1038/s41551-021-00763-4
[14]	Hu H, Ma Y, Gao X, et al. Stretchable ultrasonic arrays for the three-dimensional mapping of the modulus of deep tissue. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2023, 7(10), 1321 doi: 10.1038/s41551-023-01038-w
[15]	Gao X, Chen X, Hu H, et al. A photoacoustic patch for three-dimensional imaging of hemoglobin and core temperature. Nature Communications, 2022, 13(1), 7757 doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-35455-3
[16]	Zhou Q, Lam K H, Zheng H, et al. Piezoelectric single crystal ultrasonic transducers for biomedical applications. Progress in materials science, 2014, 66, 87 doi: 10.1016/j.pmatsci.2014.06.001
[17]	van Neer P L M J, Peters L C J M, Verbeek R G F A, et al. Flexible large-area ultrasound arrays for medical applications made using embossed polymer structures. Nature Communications, 2024, 15(1), 2802 doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-47074-1