An improved model for ultrasonic transducers is proposed. By considering only the first symmetric mode, each layer is represented as an acoustical transmission line in modeling of bulk wave transducers. In imaging applications, wide bandwidth and short time duration are required. The approach we have used consists of impedance matching the front face of the piezoelectric transducer to the propagating medium with a quarter wavelength impedance matching layer and inserting an unmatching quarter wavelength acoustical layer between the rear face and backing material. A heavy backing would degrade the wide-band phenomena, but show a time duration shorter than 0.5 μs for imaging applications. PSPICE code of the controlled source model is implemented to precisely predict the performance of the matched transducers such as impedance, insertion loss, bandwidth and duration of the impulse response. Good agreement between the simulation and experimental results has been achieved.
