Composite transducer apparatus and system for processing a substrate and method of constructing the same

1. An apparatus for generating acoustic energy comprising:

a plurality of pillars constructed of a piezoelectric material, the pillars arranged in a spaced-apart manner so that spaces exist between adjacent pillars;

the pillars having a width and a height extending between a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the height of the pillars is greater than the width of the pillars;

the spaces filled with a resilient material so as to form a composite assembly;

the composite assembly having a convex bottom surface and a top surface, electrodes operably connected to the top and bottom surfaces of the composite assembly;

a source of electricity operably coupled to the electrodes so that the pillars generate an acoustic wave from the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly; and

wherein the spaces between adjacent pillars and the width of the pillars are substantially equal.

2. An apparatus for generating acoustic energy comprising:

a plurality of pillars constructed of a piezoelectric material, the pillars arranged in a spaced-apart manner so that spaces exist between adjacent pillars:

the pillars having a width and a height extending between a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the height of the pillars is greater than the width of the pillars;

the spaces filled with a resilient material so as to form a composite assembly;

the composite assembly having a convex bottom surface and a top surface, electrodes operably connected to the top and bottom surfaces of the composite assembly;

a source of electricity operably coupled to the electrodes so that the pillars generate an acoustic wave from the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly; and

wherein the height of the pillars is at least twice the width of the pillars.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the height of the pillars is about twice the width of the pillars.

4. An apparatus for generating acoustic energy comprising:

a plurality of pillars constructed of a piezoelectric material, the pillars arranged in a spaced-apart manner so that spaces exist between adjacent pillars;

the pillars having a width and a height extending between a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the height of the pillars is greater than the width of the pillars;

the spaces filled with a resilient material so as to form a composite assembly;

the composite assembly having a convex bottom surface and a top surface, electrodes operably connected to the top and bottom surfaces of the composite assembly;

a source of electricity operably coupled to the electrodes so that the pillars generate an acoustic wave from the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly; and

wherein the spaces between adjacent pillars and the width of the pillars are of the same magnitude.

5. An apparatus for generating acoustic energy comprising:

a plurality of pillars constructed of a piezoelectric material, the pillars arranged in a spaced-apart manner so that spaces exist between adjacent pillars;

the pillars having a width and a height extending between a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the height of the pillars is greater than the width of the pillars;

the spaces filled with a resilient material so as to form a composite assembly;

the composite assembly having a convex bottom surface and a top surface, electrodes operably connected to the top and bottom surfaces of the composite assembly;

a source of electricity operably coupled to the electrodes so that the pillars generate an acoustic wave from the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly; and

wherein each one of the pillars generates an acoustic wave having a frequency and a wavelength from the bottom surface; and wherein the width of the pillars and the spacing between adjacent pillars is less than the wavelength of the acoustic wave.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the frequency of the acoustic wave is in a megasonic range.

7. An apparatus for generating acoustic energy comprising:

a plurality of pillars constructed of a piezoelectric material, the pillars arranged in a spaced-apart manner so that spaces exist between adjacent pillars;

the pillars having a width and a height extending between a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the height of the pillars is greater than the width of the pillars;

the spaces filled with a resilient material so as to form a composite assembly;

the composite assembly having a convex bottom surface and a to surface, electrodes operably connected to the top and bottom surfaces of the composite assembly;

a source of electricity operably coupled to the electrodes so that the pillars generate an acoustic wave from the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly; and

wherein the electrodes are arranged in a manner that allows either individual pillars or subsets of the plurality of the pillars to be operated independently to generate isolated acoustic waves.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the isolated acoustic waves diverge with distance from the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly.

9. An apparatus for generating acoustic energy comprising:

a plurality of pillars constructed of a piezoelectric material the pillars arranged in a spaced-apart manner so that spaces exist between adjacent pillars;

the pillars having a width and a height extending between a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the height of the pillars is greater than the width of the pillars;

the spaces filled with a resilient material so as to form a composite assembly;

the composite assembly having a convex bottom surface and a top surface, electrodes operably connected to the top and bottom surfaces of the composite assembly;

a source of electricity operably coupled to the electrodes so that the pillars generate an acoustic wave from the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly; and

wherein each one of the pillars generates an independent acoustic wave in a manner such that the independent acoustic waves together act as a plane wave.

10. An apparatus for generating acoustic energy comprising:

a plurality of pillars constructed of a piezoelectric material, the pillars arranged in a spaced-apart manner so that spaces exist between adjacent pillars;

the pillars having a width and a height extending between a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the height of the pillars is greater than the width of the pillars;

the spaces filled with a resilient material so as to form a composite assembly;

the composite assembly having a convex bottom surface and a top surface, electrodes operably connected to the top and bottom surfaces of the composite assembly;

a source of electricity operably coupled to the electrodes so that the pillars generate an acoustic wave from the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly;

a transmitter material bonded to the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly;

an impedance matching layer between the transmitter material and the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly; and

wherein an outer surface of the transmitter material which comes into contact with a coupling fluid is treated to decrease surface tension toward the coupling fluid.

11. An apparatus for generating acoustic energy comprising:

a plurality of pillars constructed of a piezoelectric material, the pillars arranged in a spaced-apart manner so that spaces exist between adjacent pillars;

the pillars having a width and a height extending between a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the height of the pillars is greater than the width of the pillars;

the spaces filled with a resilient material so as to form a composite assembly;

the composite assembly having a convex bottom surface and a top surface, electrodes operably connected to the top and bottom surfaces of the composite assembly;

a source of electricity operably coupled to the electrodes so that the pillars generate an acoustic wave from the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly;

a transmitter material bonded to the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly;

an impedance matching layer between the transmitter material and the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly; and

wherein the impedance matching layer is an epoxy.

12. The apparatus or claim 10 wherein the transmitter material is a polymer film.

13. An apparatus for generating acoustic energy comprising:

a plurality of pillars constructed of a piezoelectric material, the pillars arranged in a spaced-apart manner so that spaces exist between adjacent pillars;

the pillars having a width and a height extending between a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the height of the pillars is greater than the width of the pillars;

the spaces filled with a resilient material so as to form a composite assembly;

the composite assembly having a convex bottom surface and a top surface, electrodes operably connected to the top and bottom surfaces of the composite assembly;

a source of electricity operably coupled to the electrodes so that the pillars generate an acoustic wave from the convex bottom surface of the composite assembly;

a transmitting structure having a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface, the composite assembly including the electrodes bonded to the concave inner surface of the transmitting structure; and

wherein the composite assembly is located within an enclosed space.