Three-Side Buttable Integrated Ultrasound Chip With a 16$\,\times\,$16 Reconfigurable Transceiver and Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer Array for 3-D Ultrasound Imaging Systems

Background:: Ultrasound is widely used in the applications of underwater imaging. Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) is a promising candidate to the traditional piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer. In underwater ultrasound imaging, better resolutions can be achieved with a higher frequency ultrasound. Therefore, a CMUT array for high-frequency ultrasound imaging is proposed in this work. Methods:: Analytical methods are used to calculate the center frequency in water and the pull-in voltage for determining the operating point of CMUT. Finite element method model was developed to finalize the design parameters. The CMUT array was fabricated with a five-mask sacrificial release process. Results:: The CMUT array owned an immersed center frequency of 2.6 MHz with a 6 dB fractional bandwidth of 123 %. The pull-in voltage of the CMUT array was 85 V. An underwater imaging experiment was carried out with the target of three steel wires. Conclusion:: In this study, we have developed CMUT for high-frequency underwater imaging. The experiment showed that the CMUT can detect the steel wires with the diameter of 100 μm and the axial resolution was 0.582 mm, which is close to one wavelength of ultrasound in 2.6 MHz.

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Design and Fabrication of a High-Power Air-Coupled Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer Array With Concentric Annular Cells

IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices ◽

10.1109/ted.2017.2746006 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 64 (11) ◽

pp. 4636-4643 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Shuai Na ◽

Zhou Zheng ◽

Albert I-Hsiang Chen ◽

Lawrence L. P. Wong ◽

Zhenhao Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Power ◽

Ultrasonic Transducer ◽

Transducer Array ◽

Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer

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Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer array with through-substrate electrical connection and method of fabricating same

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America ◽

10.1121/1.3262532 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 126 (5) ◽

pp. 2829

Author(s):

Yongli Huang

Keyword(s):

Ultrasonic Transducer ◽

Transducer Array ◽

Electrical Connection ◽

Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer

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Advances in Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers

Micromachines ◽

10.3390/mi10020152 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 152 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Kevin Brenner ◽

Arif Ergun ◽

Kamyar Firouzi ◽

Morten Rasmussen ◽

Quintin Stedman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Review Paper ◽

Rapid Development ◽

Ultrasonic Transducer ◽

Ultrasonic Transducers ◽

Imaging Systems ◽

Future Trends ◽

Levels Of Abstraction ◽

Commercial Success ◽

Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers ◽

Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) technology has enjoyed rapid development in the last decade. Advancements both in fabrication and integration, coupled with improved modelling, has enabled CMUTs to make their way into mainstream ultrasound imaging systems and find commercial success. In this review paper, we touch upon recent advancements in CMUT technology at all levels of abstraction; modeling, fabrication, integration, and applications. Regarding applications, we discuss future trends for CMUTs and their impact within the broad field of biomedical imaging.

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