Design,manufacture and performance characterization of CMUT array based on sacrificial layer process
Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer(CMUT)has the advantages of miniaturization,high density array integration and high electromechanical coupling coefficient compared with piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer,which shows great potential in medical imaging,flow measurement.Based on the sacrificial layer release process,a high density integrated micro CMUT array is designed and successfully manufactured.The performance of the CMUT array is tested and characterized in water.The experimental results show that the transducer has excellent transmitting linearity(nonlinear degree is 0.74%)and good transmitting and receiving sensitivity.In addition,the axial sound pressure attenuation trend follows the negative exponential attenuation rule and has excellent directional performance(-6 dB main lobe width of 26°)with minimal sidelobe interference.