An ultrasonic device having an acoustic transducer with a lamination of parallel integrated circuit chips having active circuitry. A backing member made of a material for attenuating acoustic waves provides Z-axis conduction of signals from the parallel integrated circuit chips to individual piezoelectric elements. Preferably, each piezoelectric element is operatively associated with a particular circuit that is within the acoustic shadow of the element, so that the lamination of chips does not add to the cross sectional area of the transducer. The integrated circuit chips are coterminus at first edges to provide a planar contact surface having a pad grid array of contact pads for connection with conductors extending through the backing member. In one embodiment, the piezoelectric elements provide a two-dimensional array of elements that corresponds to the pad grid array. Circuitry on the integrated circuit chips can include protective diodes, preamplifiers and one or more multiplexers.