A computationally efficient nonlinear dynamic model for cMUT based on COMSOL and MATLAB/Simulink

Using the plate capacitance model, capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (cMUT) cells can be simulated. We present a hybrid model that predicts the dynamic behavior of a cMUT cell with uneven membrane and partial coverage electrode. COMSOL Multiphysics was used to calculate the stationary behavior of the cMUT cell. A MATLAB/Simulink model is developed based on the stationary simulation results. As a main advantage, it supplies a computationally efficient way to simulate the dynamic behavior of cMUT. The hybrid model includes the nonlinear characteristic of the dynamic system, like the resonant frequency shift. To verify this model, the deformation under various conditions is simulated. The results show the ability to capture the nonlinear CMUT behavior accurately.