Microfabricated ultrasonic transducers: towards robust models and immersion devices

The successful fabrication of ultrasonic immersion transducers is reported. Transducers are observed to operate from 1 MHz to 20 MHz in water, with the frequency range limited by electronics, not the transducers. Transmission results are included which show that a single pair of transducers is able to operate in water at 4, 6, and 8 MHz with a signal to noise ratio of at least 48 dB. The same transducer pair is shown to operate in air at 6 MHz. A model is introduced which highlights the significant parameters of transducer design. The model enables the design of optimized transducers.