| abstract |
An ultrasonic probe having an ultrasonic transducer is provided. The ultrasonic transducer includes a first piezoelectric layer for transmitting ultrasonic waves to an object in a body. A second piezoelectric layer receives the ultrasonic waves reflected by the object. An acoustic matching layer is disposed between the first and second piezoelectric layers, for constituting an electrode common to the first and second piezoelectric layers. Preferably, the second piezoelectric layer is positioned nearer to the object than the first piezoelectric layer. The first piezoelectric layer is inorganic, and the second piezoelectric layer is organic. The acoustic matching layer contains metal, for example, silver. In one embodiment, the second piezoelectric layer includes plural receiving element regions, arranged in a first direction, and having volumes different from one another. |