Advanced Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers for High Performance Medical Imaging Systems

用于高性能医疗成像系统的先进微机械超声波换能器

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-03998
• 负责人: Emadi, Arezoo
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: University of Windsor
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=752090
• 关键词: Advanced; Micromachined; Ultrasonic; Transducers; Performance

Breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women that is often undetected and underdiagnosed, contributing to the significant death rate of more than 21% of all female cancer deaths [Canadian Cancer Society Statistics 2017]. Amongst all diagnostic techniques, magnetic resonance imaging provides a more accurate estimate of tumor size. However, its cost, poor accessibility and inapplicable nature for patients with some implanted medical devices restrain its usage. Therefore, there is a momentous need to develop an accurate, safe and low-cost system that makes the examination procedure more frequently available to a larger portion of women across the world. Advance ultrasound imaging systems are emerging as essential and practical tools in routine clinical practices due to their nonionizing and noninvasive nature and lower cost. The crucial component of these ultrasound systems is the ultrasonic transducer and a promising candidate technology to advance state-of-the-art ultrasound imaging is capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer, CMUT. These transducers bring advanced microelectromechanical system (MEMS) fabrication technology to the field of ultrasound imaging and overcome the fabrication limitations of many bulk piezoelectric transducers. They offer batch production, which reduces the cost, tight parameter specification, wide bandwidth and achievable CMOS integration. However, they fall short particularly with output acoustic pressure, performance compromise between transmitting and receiving modes and their demand for high bias voltage. In this research program and in contrast with traditional MEMS transducers, the focus is on an innovative micromachined transducer configuration where more than one deflectable plate is employed in the CMUT cell structure. The unifying theme is to exploit the unique opportunity given by contribution of two or more vibrating membranes in transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals. To reach this goal comprehensive analytical and numerical model will be developed; physical properties of multiple vibrating plates will be optimized; various fabricating techniques as well as packaging will be assessed; prototype devices will be fabricated; array configurations will be probed and electrical and acoustic properties of these transducers will be analyzed. This research program is designed to address many of unique concerns of conventional CMUTs including providing dynamic switching between different modes, enhancing output pressure and lowering the driving voltage.The wide implication of this program offers many attractive applications including diagnostic imaging and therapeutic applications that provide enhanced health care to Canadian. Training of highly qualified personnel with a diverse set of skills is the essential component of this research proposal that will benefit Canadian private and public sectors.

乳腺癌是女性死亡的主要原因，但往往未被发现和诊断不足，导致所有女性癌症死亡人数超过 21% [加拿大癌症协会统计数据 2017]。在所有诊断技术中，磁共振成像可以更准确地估计肿瘤大小。然而，其成本高、可及性差以及不适用于某些植入医疗设备的患者限制了其使用。因此，迫切需要开发一种准确、安全且低成本的系统，使世界各地更多的女性能够更频繁地获得检查程序。先进的超声成像系统由于其非电离和非侵入性且成本较低，正在成为常规临床实践中必不可少的实用工具。这些超声系统的关键组件是超声换能器，而电容式微机械超声换能器 (CMUT) 是推进最先进超声成像的一项有前途的候选技术。这些换能器将先进的微机电系统 (MEMS) 制造技术引入超声成像领域，并克服了许多体压电换能器的制造限制。它们提供批量生产，从而降低成本、严格的参数规格、宽带宽和可实现的 CMOS 集成。然而，它们尤其在输出声压、发射和接收模式之间的性能折衷以及对高偏置电压的需求方面存在不足。在该研究项目中，与传统的 MEMS 传感器相比，重点是一种创新的微机械传感器配置，其中 CMUT 单元结构中采用了多个偏转板。统一的主题是利用两个或多个振动膜在传输和接收超声波信号方面的贡献所提供的独特机会。为了实现这一目标，将开发综合分析和数值模型；优化多个振动盘的物理性能；将评估各种制造技术和包装；将制造原型设备；将探测阵列配置，并分析这些换能器的电学和声学特性。该研究项目旨在解决传统 CMUT 的许多独特问题，包括提供不同模式之间的动态切换、增强输出压力和降低驱动电压。该项目的广泛影响提供了许多有吸引力的应用，包括诊断成像和治疗应用，这些应用提供增强的加拿大人的医疗保健。培训具有多种技能的高素质人才是这项研究计划的重要组成部分，这将使加拿大私营和公共部门受益。