PIEZOELECTRIC ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER ARRAY WITH SWITCHED OPERATIONAL MODES
First Claim
1. A micromachined transducer array, comprising:
- a transducer substrate;
a plurality of transducers disposed over the transducer substrate; and
one or more switches disposed over the transducer substrate, wherein the one or more switches are electrically switchable between a first state and second state, the first state interconnecting at least two transducers of the plurality in electrical parallel, and the second state interconnecting the at least two transducers in electrical series.
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Abstract
Switchable micromachined transducer arrays are described where one or more switches, or relays, are monolithically integrated with transducer elements in a piezoelectric micromachined transducer array (pMUT). In embodiments, a MEMS switch is implemented on the same substrate as the transducer array for switching operational modes of the transducer array. In embodiments, a plurality of transducers are interconnected in parallel through MEMS switch(es) in a first operational mode (e.g., a drive mode) during a first time period, and are then interconnected through the MEMS switch(es) with at least some of the transducers in series in a second operational mode (e.g., a sense mode) during a second time period.
69 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A micromachined transducer array, comprising:
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a transducer substrate; a plurality of transducers disposed over the transducer substrate; and one or more switches disposed over the transducer substrate, wherein the one or more switches are electrically switchable between a first state and second state, the first state interconnecting at least two transducers of the plurality in electrical parallel, and the second state interconnecting the at least two transducers in electrical series. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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18. A method of generating and sensing pressure waves in a medium, the method comprising:
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connecting a plurality of micromachined transducers of a transducer array disposed over a transducer substrate in electrical parallel during a first time period through one or more switches set to a first state; driving the plurality of transducers with an electrical signal during the first time period; reconnecting at least some of the transducers in electrical series during a second time period by setting the one or more switches to a second state; and receiving an electrical response signal from the plurality of transducers during the second time period. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification