A MEMS ultrasonic transducer imager array with beam width, acoustic power, and frequency modulations

Abstract

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) are an alternative imager system to the conventional piezoelectric transducers. They benefit from microfabrication techniques that offer developing CMUTs in various shapes and dimensions, as well as 1- and 2-D arrays. In this work, a CMUT imager array is designed and structurally optimized for `water tree' detection in the XLPE underground power cable insulation. COMSOL simulations are performed, indicating the ability of such an array in beam width modulation through electrically addressing of CMUT cells in different orders. It is also shown that unlike piezoelectric transducers, a MEMS transducer can also operate at a relatively wider frequency range.