The design of protection circuitry for high-frequency ultrasound imaging systems.

Transmission line lengths in the protection circuitry of a high-frequency (>20-MHz) ultrasound imaging system have an important effect on the frequency, amplitude, and bandwidth of the pulse-echo response of the system. A model that includes the transmission line lengths between the pulser, transducer, and receiver and the electromechanical properties of high-frequency transducers is used to illustrate the importance of correctly choosing these line lengths. An iterative optimization procedure for designing the protection circuitry for a broadband system is proposed. A theoretical and experimental analysis of the validity of this approach is reported for a 45-MHz PVDF transducer.