Application Cases

Ultrasound transducers play a vital role in sonar imaging systems because they facilitate the mutual conversion between electrical and acoustic signals. For sonar imaging devices, ultrasound transducers are usually made of bulk piezoelectric ceramics and operate in thickness vibration mode. With the rapid development of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology, microultrasound transducers (MUTs) have emerged. Due to their small size, batch-mode production, CMOS-process compatibility, and the ease of arraying with advanced packaging technologies, many researchers have explored their applications as alternatives to traditional ultrasound transducers. Compared with PZT, AlN is non-toxic and lead-free and is compatible with CMOS technology. Although its piezoelectric coefficient is one order of magnitude smaller than that of PZT, its dielectric constant is two orders of magnitude smaller. In theory, the receiving sensitivity of AlN PMUTs is one order of magnitude higher than that of PZT PMUTs. Therefore, AlN PMUTs have great potential to replace bulk sensors in sonar imaging receiver arrays.

The ATA-2000 series high-voltage amplifiers from Antai Electronics are based on Class AB amplification circuits and feature low distortion and high stability. With a maximum bandwidth of up to 1 MHz and a maximum output voltage of up to 1600 Vpp, they are widely used in the testing and performance evaluation of various piezoelectric materials.

Experiment Name: Research on the Application of Aluminum Nitride (AlN)-Based Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers for Sonar Imaging

Experiment Principle: Aluminum nitride (AlN), as a piezoelectric material, has a wide bandgap, low dielectric constant, high thermal conductivity, excellent piezoelectric properties, and good chemical stability, making it an ideal choice for manufacturing PMUTs. The working principle of PMUTs is based on the piezoelectric effect, which means that when a piezoelectric material is subjected to an external force, it will produce a change in the distribution of electric charges, thereby emitting ultrasound. Conversely, when a piezoelectric material is subjected to ultrasound, it will produce mechanical vibrations, which are then converted into electrical signals.

Experiment Block Diagram:

Experiment Process: To measure the underwater receiving sensitivity of PMUTs, a commercial standard hydrophone from a research institution was used. Meanwhile, the PMUT* was used as the transmitter, and the commercial standard hydrophone PMUT was placed about 3.6 cm away from the transmitter as the receiver to successively receive the ultrasound. The signal generator outputs a 1 Vpp, 5-cycle pulse sine wave signal, which is amplified 60 times by the power amplifier (ATA-2021B from Aigtek) to excite the PMUT transmitter to emit sound waves. The waves propagate through the water medium and are captured by the surfaces of the PMUT receiver and the hydrophone. After being amplified by the preamplifier, the peak-to-peak voltage of the hydrophone and the PMUT receiver is read and analyzed on the oscilloscope.

Application Directions: 3D imaging and positioning, biomedical imaging, non-contact measurement and sensing, high-resolution imaging, underwater detection

Application Scenarios: Piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs), aluminum nitride (AlN), sonar imaging, 3D imaging, underwater detection, array technology, high-frequency ultrasound

Product Recommendation: ATA-2000 series high-voltage amplifiers

Figure: ATA-2000 Series High-Voltage Amplifier Specifications