Real-time in-vivo imaging with capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (cMUT) linear arrays

Capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (cMUTs) have emerged as a leading area of research because these devices are non-resonant and can be integrated along with signal processing electronics. However, few publications discuss cMUT arrays packaged in a handheld probe capable of generating real-time ultrasound images. This paper presents real-time in-vivo images from a cMUT linear array and compares them to PZT array images that were made with a GE LOGIQ 9 ultrasound imager. CMUT images show equivalence in most cases to PZT images. In some cases, anatomical borders and texture are more clearly resolved in the cMUT array images. Pulse-echo data showing a fractional bandwidth of 110% will be presented and compared to PZT arrays. Improvement in cMUT sensitivity is still needed to compete fully with PZT arrays, as these cMUT arrays show -10 dB worse sensitivity than that from comparable PZT arrays. Images of a cMUT probe will also be shown to demonstrate the progress of packaging such an array and the accompanying electronics into a clinically relevant size.