Biasing of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) and related apparatus and methods
First Claim
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1. An ultrasound device, comprising:
- a substrate having a first transducer region and a second transducer region, the first transducer region having a first plurality of ultrasound transducers and the second transducer region having a second plurality of ultrasound transducers;
a controller configured to bias the first plurality of ultrasound transducers and the second plurality of ultrasound transducers through a respective first common electrode and a second common electrode; and
a biasing source configured to communicate a voltage bias to one or more of the ultrasound transducers,wherein each ultrasound transducer of the first plurality of ultrasound transducers and the second plurality of ultrasound transducers comprises a membrane in communication with a biasing source; and
wherein the controller is configured to bias the first plurality of ultrasound transducers independently of the second plurality of ultrasound transducers.
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Abstract
Electrical biasing of ultrasonic transducers of an ultrasound device is described. The ultrasonic transducers may be capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs). The ultrasonic transducers may be grouped together, with the different groups receiving different bias voltages. The bias voltages for the various groups of ultrasonic transducers may be selected to account for differences between the groups.
145 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An ultrasound device, comprising:
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a substrate having a first transducer region and a second transducer region, the first transducer region having a first plurality of ultrasound transducers and the second transducer region having a second plurality of ultrasound transducers; a controller configured to bias the first plurality of ultrasound transducers and the second plurality of ultrasound transducers through a respective first common electrode and a second common electrode; and a biasing source configured to communicate a voltage bias to one or more of the ultrasound transducers, wherein each ultrasound transducer of the first plurality of ultrasound transducers and the second plurality of ultrasound transducers comprises a membrane in communication with a biasing source; and wherein the controller is configured to bias the first plurality of ultrasound transducers independently of the second plurality of ultrasound transducers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method to operate an ultrasound device having a substrate and a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, the method comprising:
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electrically biasing, at a first bias voltage, a first bias electrode comprising a first common membrane corresponding to a first group of ultrasonic transducers of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers; and electrically biasing, at a second bias voltage, a second bias electrode. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification