Air-coupled linear and sparse cMUT array manufactured using MUMPs process

An assessment of the standard fabrication Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) process Multi-User MEMS Processes (MUMPs) for complex air-coupled capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer array aperture manufacture is reported. A 1-D linear array and a 2-D sparse symmetric binned-array have been designed and manufactured, and then characterised experimentally using electrical impedance measurements, laser vibrometry and air-coupled field measurement; the experimental data are supported by simulated data using Finite Element technique and field simulation based on Huygens’ principle. A methodology for the manufacture of the array structures using the MUMPs process is described. Electrical characterisation shows the devices operation at 770 kHz and the existence of large parasitic capacitances and electrical losses. Mechanical crosstalk of array substrate has been measured at −40 dB using laser vibrometry. Moreover, the laser vibrometry measurement and the field characteristics of one element reveal that each element operates as a piston radiator.