Background
Ultrasonic techniques are widespread in medical imaging and for the detection of defects in engineering materials. Current abdominal ultrasound transducer arrays, fabricated using bulk piezoelectric ceramics or single crystals via mechanical dicing, typically operate in the 2 to 12 MHz frequency range with limited feature resolution. Ultrasonic transducers with higher frequency performance, for example, in the 30 MHz to 1 GHz range have theoretical resolving capabilities of submicron features, and would allow study of tissues and fluid movement in real time and would enable the detection of smaller (micron-sized) subsurface defects in silicon integrated circuits.

Invention Description
Embodiments of the present invention include ultrasound transducer arrays with high frequency operation, for example in the range 50 MHz to 1 GHz. The transducer array is directly integrated to a semiconductor chip to generate and control signals and signal conditioning, provide power, and perform signal processing. This integrated capability allows for unique deployments of the transducer such as deliver the ultrasound device via endoscope for in-vivo examination, imaging, cell detection, and other health diagnostics.

File Number: 3137