Piezoelectricity, discovered in the 1880s by the Curie brothers using quartz crystals, allows certain materials to generate an electric charge when subjected to pressure. This piezoelectric effect has been used in diagnostic medical sonography since the late 1950s. Piezoelectric transducers, which contain crystals that convert electrical pulses to mechanical vibrations and vice versa, are at the heart of ultrasound transducers. They enable the transducers to both transmit ultrasound pulses into the body by converting electric signals to sound and receive echo signals by converting returning sound waves back into electrical signals.

1. The Piezo electric Element

2. Diagnostic Medical Sonography has been used since the late 1950s. Piezoelectricity discovered in the 1880s by the Curies using natural quartz This effect was named "piezoelectricity" after the Greek piezein, which means to squeeze or press. History Of Ultrasound

3. Pierre & Jacques Curie Although as early as the 18th century, crystals of certain minerals were known to generate electrical charge when heated (which also became known as pyroelectricity) it was two brothers, Pierre and Jacques Curie who actually came to develop the actual "Piezoelectricty" used yet today.

4. What is the Piezoelectric Effect? The principle of converting energy by applying pressure to a crystal. When an electric voltage is applied to a transducer crystal, the crystal gets excited and is deformed.

6. Piezoelectric Transducers The conversion of electrical pulses to mechanical vibrations and the conversion of returned mechanical vibrations back into electrical energy is the basis for ultrasonic testing. The active element is the heart of the transducer as it converts the electrical energy to acoustic energy, and vice versa.

7. Ultrasound Transducers & Piezoelectric Effect Electric energy is converted into ultrasound energy through the transducer. Based on the pulse-echo principle, transducers convert: - Electricity into sound = Pulse. - Sound into electricity = Echo.