Skin-Conformal PMN-PT Ultrasonic Sensor for Cuffless Blood Pressure Sensing via Eutectic Solder Integration

Read the full article See related articles

Listed in

This article is not in any list yet, why not save it to one of your lists.
Log in to save this article

Abstract

Wearable ultrasonic systems are emerging as promising tools for noninvasive cardiovascular monitoring, enabling the real-time assessment of vascular dynamics without the need for cuff-based measurements. However, the integration of high-performance piezoelectric materials into flexible skin-conformal arrays poses challenges in terms of mechanical durability, acoustic fidelity, and scalability. In this study, we present a flexible 5×4 ultrasonic transducer array (UTA) based on Lead magnesium niobate-lead Titanate (PMN-PT 1–3) composite elements for continuous blood pressure monitoring. To achieve reliable integration, we employed a dual-sided eutectic solder bonding method using an SnBi alloy to ensure low-temperature attachment without depolarization. The fabricated UTA operates at a center frequency of 6.0 MHz with an acceptance angle of 45°, enabling robust signal acquisition under varying angular conditions. Time-of-flight simulations and in vitro testing of vascular phantoms demonstrated the accurate tracking of vessel diameters and the estimation of real-time blood pressure. The UTA achieved systolic and diastolic pressure measurements within 4 mmHg of those of a commercial reference sensor. These results highlight the feasibility of scalable and flexible ultrasound systems for wearable hemodynamic sensors, suggesting their potential for next-generation point-of-care diagnostics.

Article activity feed