ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER DEVICES AND METHODS FOR FABRICATING ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER DEVICES

    公开(公告)号:WO2019173694A1

    公开(公告)日:2019-09-12

    申请号:PCT/US2019/021316

    申请日:2019-03-08

    Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to ultrasound transducer devices including capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) and methods for forming CMUTs in ultrasound transducer devices. Some embodiments include forming a cavity of a CMUT by forming a first layer of insulating material on a first substrate, forming a second layer of insulating material on the first layer of insulating material, and then etching a cavity in the second insulating material. A second substrate may be bonded to the first substrate to seal the cavity. The first layer of insulating material may include, for example, aluminum oxide. The first substrate may include integrated circuitry. Some embodiments include forming through- silicon vias (TSVs) in the first substrate prior to forming the first and second insulating layers (TSV-Middle process) or subsequent to bonding the first and second substrates (TSV-Last process).

    ULTRASOUND DEVICES
    4.
    发明申请
    ULTRASOUND DEVICES 审中-公开

    公开(公告)号:WO2019213449A2

    公开(公告)日:2019-11-07

    申请号:PCT/US2019/030482

    申请日:2019-05-02

    Abstract: An ultrasound device is described. The ultrasound device may include a cavity, a membrane, and a sensing electrode. When an electrical signal is applied to the sensing electrode and a static bias is applied to the membrane, the membrane vibrates within the cavity and produces ultrasonic signals. The cavity, the membrane, and the sensing electrode may be considered a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT). The sensing electrode may be shaped as a ring, whereby the central portion of the sensing electrode is removed. Removal of the central portion of the sensing electrode may reduce the parasitic capacitance without substantially affecting the production of ultrasonic signals by the CMUT. This, in turn, can result in an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the ultrasonic signals. The ultrasound device may further include a bond pad configured for wire bonding, and a trench electrically isolating the bond pad from the membrane.

    BI-LAYER METAL ELECTRODE FOR MICROMACHINED ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER DEVICES

    公开(公告)号:WO2020163595A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-08-13

    申请号:PCT/US2020/017013

    申请日:2020-02-06

    Abstract: A method of forming an ultrasonic transducer device includes forming a patterned metal electrode layer over a substrate, the patterned metal electrode layer comprising a lower layer and an upper layer formed on the lower layer; forming an insulation layer over the patterned metal electrode layer; and planarizing the insulation layer to the upper layer of the patterned metal electrode layer, wherein the upper layer comprises a electrically conductive material that serves as a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) stop layer that has CMP selectivity with respect to the insulation layer and the lower layer, and wherein the upper layer has a CMP removal rate slower than that of the insulation layer.

    METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR PACKAGING AN ULTRASOUND-ON-A-CHIP

    公开(公告)号:WO2020010207A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-01-09

    申请号:PCT/US2019/040516

    申请日:2019-07-03

    Abstract: Described herein are methods and apparatuses for packaging an ultrasound-on-a-chip. An ultrasound-on-a-chip may be coupled to a redistribution layer and to an interposer layer. Encapsulation may encapsulate the ultrasound-on-a-chip device and first metal pillars may extend through the encapsulation and electrically couple to the redistribution layer. Second metal pillars may extend through the interposer layer. The interposer layer may include aluminum nitride. The first metal pillars may be electrically coupled to the second metal pillars. A printed circuit board may be coupled to the interposer layer.

    ULTRASOUND FINGERPRINT DETECTION AND RELATED APPARATUS AND METHODS

    公开(公告)号:WO2020118135A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-06-11

    申请号:PCT/US2019/064839

    申请日:2019-12-06

    Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to sensing a fingerprint of a subject via an ultrasound fingerprint sensor. Certain aspects relate to transmitting and receiving ultrasound data at multiple different frequencies to provide sensing data from different depths within the skin of the subject. Since different ultrasound frequencies are expected to penetrate a subject's skin to different degrees, sensing a finger at multiple ultrasound frequencies may provide information on different physical aspects of the finger. For instance, sound ultrasound frequencies may sense a surface of the skin, whereas other ultrasound frequencies may penetrate through one or more of the epidermal, dermal or subcutaneous layers. The ultrasound fingerprint apparatus may have utility in various applications, including but not limited to mobile electronic devices, such as mobile phones or tablet computers, a laptop computer or biometric access equipment.

    ULTRASOUND DEVICES
    10.
    发明申请
    ULTRASOUND DEVICES 审中-公开

    公开(公告)号:WO2019213449A3

    公开(公告)日:2019-11-07

    申请号:PCT/US2019/030482

    申请日:2019-05-02

    Abstract: An ultrasound device is described. The ultrasound device may include a cavity, a membrane, and a sensing electrode. When an electrical signal is applied to the sensing electrode and a static bias is applied to the membrane, the membrane vibrates within the cavity and produces ultrasonic signals. The cavity, the membrane, and the sensing electrode may be considered a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT). The sensing electrode may be shaped as a ring, whereby the central portion of the sensing electrode is removed. Removal of the central portion of the sensing electrode may reduce the parasitic capacitance without substantially affecting the production of ultrasonic signals by the CMUT. This, in turn, can result in an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the ultrasonic signals. The ultrasound device may further include a bond pad configured for wire bonding, and a trench electrically isolating the bond pad from the membrane.

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