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 high-frequency 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 μm 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.