The present embodiments relate to capacitive membrane ultrasound transducers (cMUT). A cMUT includes an array of elements. Each element includes a plurality of cells of microelectromechanical devices, such as membranes with an associated chamber or gap. The membranes lay in a plane along an emitting face of the element. Electrodes are provided adjacent the membrane and away from the membrane in the chamber. In response to alternating electrical potential, the membranes flex in or out of the plane, causing rarefaction and pressure waves that propagate along a range dimension orthogonal to the plane. In response to acoustic waves, the membranes flex, causing changes in electrical potential between the electrodes.
The cMUT may generate a far-field pressure of 1 MPa at 10 MHz with a peak membrane or diaphragm excursion of about 0.03 μm. Low frequency, higher power applications, such as bubble bursting or harmonic imaging, may operate with 3 MPa at 1 MHz. For these pressures, the peak membrane excursion may be around 1 μm or more. A cMUT and associated membranes may not be able to satisfy such a high-pressure requirement.
By way of introduction, the preferred embodiments described below include methods, systems and transducers for a capacitive membrane ultrasound transducer. Membranes or other microelectromechanical devices are provided in a 3-1 geometry, allowing application of an electric field substantially perpendicular to a range dimension. The membranes are on a plurality of different respective planes more parallel than perpendicular with each other, and the planes are more perpendicular than parallel with the faces of the elements or transducer.
In a first aspect, an ultrasound transducer is provided for transmitting or receiving acoustic energy at faces of elements distributed substantially along an azimuth and/or elevation dimensions. A plurality of membranes is on a plurality of different respective planes more parallel than perpendicular to each other. The planes are more perpendicular than parallel with the faces. Conductive surfaces are substantially on the membranes and/or parallel to them.
In a second aspect, a capacitive membrane ultrasound transducer has an emitting face substantially perpendicular to a range dimension. The range dimension corresponds to a down range scanning direction. An improvement includes a 3-1 mode geometry of at least one capacitive membrane.
In a third aspect, a method is provided for generating acoustic energy along a range dimension. An electric field is applied to a microelectromechanical transducer element. The electric field is applied substantially parallel with a plane substantially orthogonal to the range dimension. Acoustic energy is generated substantially along the range dimension in response to the applied electric field.
The present invention is defined by the following claims, and nothing in this section should be taken as a limitation on those claims. Further aspects and advantages of the invention are discussed below in conjunction with the preferred embodiments and may be later claimed independently or in combination.
The components and the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
FIGS. 3A-C are exemplary partial cross-sectional views of linear ridges with different mass loading and structures;
Orienting cMUT membranes to generally face each other allows a large membrane area to concentrate total displacement into a small output area. The radiating aperture is approximately perpendicular to the vibrating diaphragms. The applied electric filed and the resulting motion may be in a plane perpendicular to the range direction, leading to downrange excursion of the surrounding medium. Large displacements and/or pressures may be generated with smaller applied voltages as compared to membranes all laying in a same plane. By folding the cMUT elements or otherwise extending the membranes into the depth of the substrate, the output is concentrated.
The elements 16 are distributed as a one, 1.25D, 1.5D, 1.75D, 2D or other multidimensional array. Alternatively, a single element 16 is provided. The array distribution defines an emitting face substantially orthogonal or perpendicular to the range dimension 22. For curved arrays, the range dimension 22 is orthogonal to one location of the emitting face and substantially orthogonal to other locations. Acoustic energy generated by the elements 16 propagates along the range dimension 22, but also propagates substantially in the range dimension 22 by diverging as a wavefront or by purposeful scanning in a sector or Vector® format. By transmitting substantially along the range dimension 22, the down range direction is scanned for medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, therapy, or other ultrasound purposes.
The elements 16 include microelectromechanical structures.
The membranes 30 are in a 3-1 mode geometry. The membranes 30 are in a plane more parallel than orthogonal to the range dimension 22. The membranes 30 substantially face each other. The use of the term “substantially” here accounts for the membranes 30 being at an angle for guiding acoustic energy or providing a range component directly to generated acoustic energy. The membranes 30 are in different planes more parallel than perpendicular with each other. The planes are more perpendicular than parallel with the faces 14.
The linear ridges 32 may have mass loading and aperture termination to control the resonant frequency.
Each chamber 40 holds a volume of gas with one or more vents 38, or holds vacuum with no vents. The vents 38 are small or large relative to the width of the chamber 40 and vent compressed or rarefied gas away from the emitting face. The chamber 40 is thin, such as about 1 to 0.005 micrometers. Wider or thinner gaps 28 may be provided. The chamber 40 may vary in width, such as being narrower near the top or bottom, or may have a uniform width. End plates 36 at both ends of the linear ridges 32 further enclose the chamber, avoiding acoustic cross talk between elements and acoustic effects in the scanned region due to rarefaction and compression of air at the ends of the linear ridges 32. In alternative embodiments, the linear ridges 32 have enclosed ends without a plate, or have at least partially open ends.
In an alternative embodiment, the beams 46 are spaced sufficiently close to at least one location on the membrane 30, such as a center of the membrane 30, to allow collapse in response to sufficiently strong acoustic echoes. For example, the beam 46 and membrane 30 are spaced by about 0.5 to 0.005 microns. Other spacing may be used. The collapse during operation may be used to limit amplitude of analog information. Alternatively, the collapse is used to operate the membrane 30 as a digital sensor having collapsed and uncollapsed states. For example, the structures or methods described in U.S. Pat. No. ______ (Publication No. ______ (Application No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 2005P05011US))), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, are used. An encoder (e.g., detector 48 of
The filler 42 is a flexible, substantially incompressible material between the membranes 30. The filler 42 is water, water-like material, other liquid, an incompressible elastomer or other material. The filler 42 is acoustically matched to a matching layer, the object to be scanned, the membranes 30 or has another acoustic impedance. As the membranes 30 move, the incompressible material limits movement of the membranes 30 and/or moves towards another location. For example, as the membranes 30 on the linear ridges 32 of
The membranes 30 transduce using conductive surfaces, such as a capacitive membrane. The conductive surfaces are substantially on the membranes 30 or are parallel to them. For example, the conductive surfaces are electrodes deposited or formed on the membranes 30 and/or other structures. As another example, the conductive surfaces on the membranes 30, beams 46 or other structure are the membranes 30, beams 46 or other structure. The membranes 30 may be doped silicon to permit conduction. Combinations of doping and electrodes may be used. The substrate 34 adjacent the membranes 30 is silica or other non-conductive material to isolate the conductive linear ridges 32 and/or membranes 30.
Differences in potential between two membranes 30, a membrane 30 and a beam 46, or a membrane 30 and another structure generate mechanical displacement or acoustic waves. In
In one embodiment, the membranes 30 are interspersed with inflexible, substantially inflexible or flexible beams 46 or other membranes 30. Every other structure, such as every membrane 30, is grounded. On each side of the membranes 30 is a beam 46 or other membrane 30. Opposite polarity alternating electrical signals are provided to the beams 46 or other membranes 30. The opposing beams 46 act on the membrane 30 in a same direction, such as one pulling and the other pushing the membrane 30. The membrane 30 moves or flexes back and forth in response to the different potentials. A resistor sufficiently large to prevent significant change of the fixed potential on the membrane 30 connects with the membrane 30. Alternatively, an electret is used. The beams 46 and membranes 30 are substantially parallel with each other, such as slanting slightly.
Where the membranes 30 are designed for less sensitivity, but more acoustic force generation, receive operation is provided or assisted by a patterned film of piezoelectric material adjacent the faces 14. For example, a film of p(VDF-TFE) stretches over the cMUT 12. The patterning corresponds to the same or different elements 16 than for the transducer 12. The film transduces from acoustic waves to electrical energy. Other films may be used, such as a barrier film to act as an EMI shield and/or to increase dielectric breakdown voltage. A film may also act as a matching layer.
In act 80, an electric field is applied to a microelectromechanical transducer element. The electric field is applied substantially parallel with a plane substantially orthogonal to the range dimension. The electric field extends substantially between two different conductors. The conductors are substantially orthogonal to the electric field. For example, the electric field extends between two membranes or a membrane and a beam. Since the membranes and/or beams are substantially positioned in a 3-1 mode geometry, the electric field extends along the azimuth and/or elevation dimensions and substantially perpendicular to the range dimension.
A difference in electric potential is created. An alternating potential is applied to adjacent conductive surfaces, such as adjacent doped membranes or beams. For example, one conductive surface is grounded and the voltage applied to another conductive surface is changed, such as applying an alternating bipolar or unipolar signal. As another example, different alternating signals are applied to adjacent conductors.
In one embodiment, different potentials are applied to different linear ridge or post structures each with at least two sides substantially orthogonal to the electric field. Every other linear ridge or post has a common electrical potential. The membranes associated with a given linear ridge or post have a common charge. Alternatively, the membranes are electrically isolated and may have different potentials.
In another embodiment, different potentials are applied to a beam and a membrane adjacent the beam. The membrane is substantially orthogonal to the electric field. The membranes, linear ridges or posts may have a common charge, such as the linear ridges being closer to the emitting face than the beams and having a ground potential. The alternating signal is applied to the beams.
In yet another embodiment, more than two different potentials are applied at a same time. For example, a fixed potential (e.g., ground) is applied to a membrane. Alternating potential signals with opposite polarity are applied to beams on opposite sides of the membrane.
In act 82, acoustic energy is generated substantially along the range dimension in response to the coulombic forces of the applied electric field. One or more membranes flex in response to the difference in potential. The membranes flex in the 3-1 mode, such as via a displacement that is substantially parallel with the emitting face of the transducer or element. The acoustic energy reflects to or propagates substantially along the range dimension. For example, two membranes of a microelectromechanical transducer element flex away or towards each other.
Where the separation between the membranes 30 or membrane thickness varies, the location of the flexing may be controlled. For example, the membranes 30 are narrowest further from the emitting face. In response to lesser voltages, a narrowing is provided farther from the emitting face. In response to increasing voltages, the gap generally propagates upward toward the emitting face, generating acoustic energy directly in the range dimension. The membranes 30 approximate an exponential horn or other structure. By using a horn to match the aperture to the membrane, a higher output-impedance membrane may be used. Other structures and operation may be used. Rarefaction caused by repelling the membranes 30 from each other may also generate acoustic waves in the range dimension. The incompressible material may also flex along the emitting surface, contributing to generation of the acoustic energy along the range dimension.
In another embodiment, the membranes or membrane and beam act as a digital acoustic sensor. Opening, closing, collapsed, or collapsing of the membrane is detected as a binary state change. The output of the microelectromechanical element is determined as a function of the digital acoustic sensor. By varying bias, membrane thickness or other properties, different membranes collapse and/or open in response to different amounts of acoustic energy. The digital output of the different membranes provides a digital signal that corresponds to the amplitude of the acoustic energy.
In yet another embodiment, receive operation is assisted or provided by a separate device, such as a different transducer or element. Another separate device is a piezoelectric film substantially in the plane of the emitting face. The film senses acoustic energy, transducing the energy into electrical signals.
While the invention has been described above by reference to various embodiments, it should be understood that many changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that it is the following claims, including all equivalents, that are intended to define the spirit and scope of this invention.