PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a miniaturized ultrasonic probe capable of being advantageously used as an attachment to a catheter.SOLUTION: The ultrasonic probe includes: a rectangular piezoelectric ceramic sheet piece having a recess extending in the direction of thickness on a side surface an upper electrode layer disposed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric ceramic sheet piece a terminal electrode layer for the upper electrode layer electrically connected to the upper electrode layer a lower electrode layer disposed on the lower surface of the piezoelectric ceramic sheet piece a conductive layer disposed in the recess and electrically connected to the lower electrode layer a soldered incompatible layer formed on the surface of the conductive layer a terminal electrode layer for the lower electrode layer disposed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric ceramic sheet piece and electrically connected to the conductive layer lead wires fixed respectively to the terminal electrode layer for the upper electrode layer and the terminal electrode layer for the lower electrode layer via soldered layers an acoustic matching layer disposed on the upper surface of the upper electrode layer and a sound absorption layer disposed on the lower surface of the lower electrode layer.COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT【課題】カテーテル装填用として有利に用いることができる小型の超音波探触子を提供する。【解決手段】厚み方向に伸びた凹部を側面に有する矩形の圧電セラミックシート片、該圧電セラミックシート片の上面に備えられた上側電極層と該上側電極層に電気的に接続する上側電極層用端子電極層、該圧電セラミックシート片の下面に備えられた下側電極層、該下側電極層に電気的に接続する上記凹部に備えられた導電層、該導電層の表面に形成されたハンダ非親和性層、該導電層に電気的に接続する圧電セラミックシート片の上面に備えられた下側電極層用端子電極層、該上側電極層用端子電極層と該下側電極層用端子電極層のそれぞれにハンダ層を介して固定されたリード線、該上側電極層の上面に備えられた音響整合層、そして該下側電極層の下面に備えられた吸音層を含む超音波探触子。【選択図】図1
