A Comparative Study of Si3N4 and Al2O3 as Dielectric Materials for Pre-Charged Collapse-Mode CMUTs

More Info
expand_more

Abstract

Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasound Transducers (CMUTs) have many advantages compared to other ultrasonic transducer technologies, especially for implantable devices. However, they require a high bias voltage for efficient operation. To eliminate the need for an external bias voltage, a charge storage layer can be embedded in the dielectric. This study aims to compare the performance of Si 3 N 4 and Al 2 O 3 when used as a charge storage layer. By measuring the shift in the C-V curve, Si 3 N 4 exhibits a larger shift than Al 2 O 3 , indicating a better charge-trapping capability. When using the pre-charged CMUTs as power receivers, the Si 3 N 4 version harvested up to 80 mW -only a few mW more than the Al 2 O 3 - with an efficiency of about 50 %. Accelerated Lifetime Tests predict a lifetime of about 7.8 and 1.2 years for Si 3 N 4 and Al 2 O 3 respectively.

Files

A_Comparative_Study_of_Si3N4_a... (pdf)
(pdf | 6.9 Mb)
- Embargo expired in 07-05-2024
Unknown license