Medical Device Link.

Originally Published EMDM March/April 2002

PRODUCT UPDATE

Keramos Advanced Ceramics

Return to Article: Electronics Open New Avenues in Device Design

High-performance piezoelectric ceramics are used to produce materials and custom shapes for imaging, therapeutic, high-intensity focused ultrasonic, hyperthermia, and related applications. Keramos Advanced Ceramics (Indianapolis, IN, USA) also supplies a range of standard materials, including Kezite compositions such as lead metaniobate, bismuth titanate, lead titanate, and PZT.

The company adheres to stringent quality control procedures during design, manufacturing, and shipping operations to ensure that the ceramic components perform precisely and reliably under extreme conditions. Since its inception in 1968, the firm has prioritized R&D, which is currently manifested by its research on high-dielectric ceramic materials with an ultrafine grain size and high Curie temperature.

High-dielectric ceramic materials provide expanded bandwidth, more-efficient acoustic output, and improved reception sensitivity in transducer applications, according to Adam Morris, president and CEO of the firm's holding company, Piezo Technologies. "These materials utilize a grain size that is one-half to three-quarters of the current industry standard," Morris explains. "The ultrafine grain structure improves element stability...which results in consistent high-density array elements and ultimately improves the element-to-element acoustic response and manufacturing yields." The materials are available in Curie temperatures up to 175°C for use in minimally invasive and imaging applications.

Copyright ©2002 European Medical Device Manufacturer