An impedance matching device includes a matching element array unit with a matching element array to which a transmission pulse and a received pulse pass, an extraction/calculation unit extracting pulse information from the transmission pulse and the received pulse, calculating impedance values corresponding to the pulse information, and calculating an impedance value having best response characteristics of the received pulse with respect to the transmission pulse as a matching impedance value, an array control unit routing the matching element array unit according to the matching impedance value, a first converter converting a frequency of the transmission pulse into a carrier frequency and outputting the transmission pulse to the matching element array unit, a second converter converting the carrier frequency into a low frequency, and a converter control unit outputting a signal for controlling the frequency converting of the first converter and the second converter.

A Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (PMUT) device is provided. The PMUT includes a substrate and an edge support structure connected to the substrate. A membrane is connected to the edge support structure such that a cavity is defined between the membrane and the substrate, where the membrane configured to allow movement at ultrasonic frequencies. The membrane comprises a piezoelectric layer and first and second electrodes coupled to opposing sides of the piezoelectric layer. For operation in a Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT) mode, a third electrode is disposed on the substrate and separated by an air gap in the cavity from the second electrode. Also provided are an integrated MEMS array, a method for operating an array of PMUT/CMUT dual-mode devices, and a PMUT/CMUT dual-mode device.

An ultrasonic sensor includes a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers including a plurality of sub-arrays of ultrasonic transducers, wherein a sub-array of ultrasonic transducers of the plurality of sub-arrays of ultrasonic transducers is independently controllable, and wherein a sub-array of ultrasonic transducers has an associated receive channel. A plurality of shift registers is configured to select a receive pattern of ultrasonic transducers of the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers to activate during a receive operation. An array controller is configured to control selection of the ultrasonic transducers during the receive operation according to the receive pattern and configured to shift a position of the receive pattern within the plurality of shift registers such that the ultrasonic transducers activated during the receive operation moves relative to and within the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) with a contoured electrode. In certain embodiments, the CMUT has a contoured electrode. The electrode may be non-planar to correspond to a deflected shape of the outer plate. A change in distance between the electrode and the plate after deflection may be greater than a minimum threshold across the width of the CMUT.

An acoustic transmitter for transmitting an acoustic signal through a downhole medium includes a voltage source; a composite load; and switching circuitry that applies voltage from the voltage source across the composite load in response to a drive signal. The composite load includes charge control circuitry, in the form of at least one inductor, connected electrically in series with a piezoelectric transducer that may be electrically modeled as a capacitor.

A nicotine delivery device (200) for generating a mist containing nicotine for inhalation by a user. The device comprises a mist generator device (201) and a driver device (202). The driver device (202) is configured to drive the mist generator device (201) at an optimum frequency to maximise the efficiency of mist generation by the mist generator device (201).

A method for calibrating a wire clamp device includes: preparing a wire clamp device provided with a pair of arm parts having tips for clamping a wire, the arms extending from the tips toward base ends, and a drive part provided with a piezoelectric element for drive, connected to the base ends of the pair of arm parts and opening/closing the tips of the pair of arm parts; a step of detecting, by electrical continuity between the tips, a timing at which the pair of arm parts enters a closed state when the piezoelectric element for drive is driven, and acquiring a reference voltage; and a step of calibrating, on the basis of the reference voltage, an application voltage to be applied to the piezoelectric element for drive. Thus, it is possible to perform accurate and stable wire bonding.

Phacoemulsification apparatus includes a phacoemulsification handpiece having a needle and an electrical circuitry for ultrasonic vibrating the needle. A power source provides pulsed electrical power to the handpiece electrical circuitry and an input is provided for enabling a surgeon to select an amplitude of dislighted pulses and a pulse width. A control system and pulse duty cycle is provided for controlling the off duty cycle to insure heat dissipation before a subsequent pulse is activated, including a foot pedal switch.

An ultrasonic measuring apparatus includes an ultrasonic transducer device having a substrate and an ultrasonic transducer element array that has a first channel group and a second channel group that are arranged on the substrate, a first integrated circuit apparatus that is mounted on the substrate, at one edge portion of the ultrasonic transducer element array in a first direction, such that a long-side direction coincides with a second direction that intersects the first direction, and performs at least one of signal transmission to the first channel group and signal reception from the first channel group, and a second integrated circuit apparatus that is mounted on the substrate, at the other edge portion of the ultrasonic transducer element array in the first direction, such that the long-side direction coincides with the second direction, and performs at least one of signal transmission to the second channel group and signal reception from the second channel group. In the ultrasonic transducer element array, the first group of channels and the second group of channels are arranged alternately every channel in the second direction.

In a method for receive beamforming using an array of ultrasonic transducers, a plurality of array positions comprising pluralities of ultrasonic transducers of the array of ultrasonic transducers is defined. A pixel capture operation is performed at each array position of the plurality of array positions. The pixel capture operation includes transmitting ultrasonic signals using a transmit beam pattern comprising ultrasonic transducers of the array of ultrasonic transducers, the transmit beam pattern for forming an ultrasonic beam toward a region of interest, and receiving reflected ultrasonic signals using a receive beam pattern comprising at least one ultrasonic transducer of the array of ultrasonic transducers. Received reflected ultrasonic signals are combined for a plurality of array positions overlapping the region of interest in a receive beamforming operation to generate a pixel for a reference array position of the plurality of array positions.