Development of a CMUT model for non-linear actuation and contact dynamics

Conference item

We present a computationally-scalable model for Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT) arrays capable of simulating CMUTs in all modes of operation. To solve the fluid-structure problem, a coupled finite element and boundary element method (FE-BEM) is employed. Scalable performance is achieved using data-sparse routines for Hierarchical Matrices. The fluid-structure problem is solved in the frequency domain and used to generate a set of reduced-order linear time-invariant system relating applied mean pressure to mean displacement for a set of lumped sub-domains. A simple non-linear contact model is added to simulate potential contact forces between membrane and substrate. This coupled dynamic system is evolved in time using an algorithm based on fixed-point iteration. The model is validated against finite element software for a representative CMUT geometry and various input voltage signals corresponding to the different regimes of operation.

Authors: Shieh, B; Stride, E

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: IEEE
• Host title: 2019 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS)
• Pages: 754-757
• Publication date: 2019-12-09
• Acceptance date: 2019-09-20
• Event title: 2019 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS 2019)
• Event series: IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium
• Event location: Glasgow, UK
• Event website: https://attend.ieee.org/ius-2019/
• Event start date: 2019-10-06
• Event end date: 2019-10-09
• DOI: 10.1109/ULTSYM.2019.8926140
• EISSN: 1948-5727
• ISSN: 1948-5719
• EISBN: 978-1-7281-4596-9
• ISBN: 978-1-7281-4597-6
• Language: English
• Keywords: transducers; computational modeling