TY - JOUR
T1 - Design and Experimental Characterization of CMUTs Based on Eutectic Bonding Technology
AU - Li, Zhikang
AU - Zhao, Libo
AU - Zhao, Yihe
AU - Li, Jie
AU - Guo, Shuaishuai
AU - Luo, Guoxi
AU - Xu, Tingzhong
AU - Liu, Zicheng
AU - Li, Xuejiao
AU - Jiang, Zhuangde
PY - 2020/7/5
Y1 - 2020/7/5
N2 - Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) have widespread application in fields of ultrasonic imaging, ultrasonic therapy and 3D ultrasonic gesture recognition. Integration of CMUTs with integrated circuits (ICs) is a key approach to reduce its parasitic capacitance and improve the signal to noise ratio. However, current fusion bonding-based fabrication technologies need high temperature (>1 000 ℃), which impedes the integration of CMUTs with ICs. Developing eutectic bonding-based fabrication technology is an effective approach to solve this problem. Based on this low-temperature fabrication process, this paper designs CMUTs with circular and hexagonal cavities and their corresponding array structures. Finite element method (FEM) and theoretical formulas are used for the analyses of their collapse voltages, resonant frequencies and deflection of the membrane under thermal stress and atmospheric pressure. The analytical results indicate that the collapse voltages and resonant frequency of CMUTs are within the expected range, and the membranes will not collapse under the co-action of thermal stress and atmospheric pressure. Experimental testing on morphology, structure parameters, capacitances and impedance-frequency characteristics of the fabricated CMUTs chips are carried out. The results indicate that the chip morphology, structure parameters, capacitance and impedance- frequency characteristics are consistent with those expected, and the CMUTs chips can work normally. These results demonstrate the feasibility of the structure design and fabrication process of the CMUTs. These researches provide a foundation for further integrated design and fabrication of CMUTs with ICs.
AB - Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) have widespread application in fields of ultrasonic imaging, ultrasonic therapy and 3D ultrasonic gesture recognition. Integration of CMUTs with integrated circuits (ICs) is a key approach to reduce its parasitic capacitance and improve the signal to noise ratio. However, current fusion bonding-based fabrication technologies need high temperature (>1 000 ℃), which impedes the integration of CMUTs with ICs. Developing eutectic bonding-based fabrication technology is an effective approach to solve this problem. Based on this low-temperature fabrication process, this paper designs CMUTs with circular and hexagonal cavities and their corresponding array structures. Finite element method (FEM) and theoretical formulas are used for the analyses of their collapse voltages, resonant frequencies and deflection of the membrane under thermal stress and atmospheric pressure. The analytical results indicate that the collapse voltages and resonant frequency of CMUTs are within the expected range, and the membranes will not collapse under the co-action of thermal stress and atmospheric pressure. Experimental testing on morphology, structure parameters, capacitances and impedance-frequency characteristics of the fabricated CMUTs chips are carried out. The results indicate that the chip morphology, structure parameters, capacitance and impedance- frequency characteristics are consistent with those expected, and the CMUTs chips can work normally. These results demonstrate the feasibility of the structure design and fabrication process of the CMUTs. These researches provide a foundation for further integrated design and fabrication of CMUTs with ICs.
KW - CMUTs
KW - Eutectic bonding
KW - Experimental testing
KW - FEM simulation
KW - Impedance-frequency characteristics
KW - Structure design
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/f2e31e6d-7464-3697-8f62-86e548466937/
U2 - 10.3901/JME.2020.13.067
DO - 10.3901/JME.2020.13.067
M3 - Article
SN - 0577-6686
VL - 56
SP - 67
EP - 76
JO - Jixie Gongcheng Xuebao/Journal of Mechanical Engineering
JF - Jixie Gongcheng Xuebao/Journal of Mechanical Engineering
IS - 13
ER -