Abstract: Ultrasound devices and methods are described for collecting ultrasound data. An ultrasound device may include an ultrasound transducer array. The ultrasound device may collect ultrasound data along multiple elevational steering angles with respective apertures of different sizes. The ultrasound data may be used to perform a measurement or generate a visualization.

Abstract: A universal ultrasound device having an ultrasound probe includes a semiconductor die; a plurality of ultrasonic transducers integrated on the semiconductor die, the plurality of ultrasonic transducers configured to operate a first mode associated with a first frequency range and a second mode associated with a second frequency range, wherein the first frequency range is at least partially non-overlapping with the second frequency range; and control circuitry configured to: control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the first frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the first mode; and control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the second frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the second mode.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to ultrasound device circuitry as may form part of a single substrate ultrasound device having integrated ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasound device circuitry may facilitate the generation of ultrasound waveforms in a manner that is power- and data-efficient.

Abstract: A hand-held ultrasound device, for placement on a subject, includes a semiconductor device and a housing to support the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements; a plurality of pulsers coupled to the plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements; a plurality of waveform generators configured to drive the plurality of pulsers; receive processing circuitry configured to process ultrasound signals received by the plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements; and a plurality of independently controllable registers configured to store a plurality of different parameters for the waveform generators.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to methods and apparatuses for enable a user to manually modify an input to a calculation performed based at least in part on an ultrasound image. In some embodiments, manually modifying the input comprises manually modifying a trace on the image. In some embodiments, manually modifying the input comprises manually selecting an ultrasound image from a series of ultrasound images on which a calculation is to be performed.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to ultrasound transducer devices including capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) and methods for forming CMUTs in ultrasound transducer devices. Some embodiments include forming a cavity of a CMUT by forming a first layer of insulating material on a first substrate, forming a second layer of insulating material on the first layer of insulating material, and then etching a cavity in the second insulating material. A second substrate may be bonded to the first substrate to seal the cavity. The first layer of insulating material may include, for example, aluminum oxide. The first substrate may include integrated circuitry. Some embodiments include forming through-silicon vias (TSVs) in the first substrate prior to forming the first and second insulating layers (TSV-Middle process) or subsequent to bonding the first and second substrates (TSV-Last process).

Abstract: A method of forming an ultrasonic transducer device includes forming and patterning a film stack over a substrate, the film stack comprising a metal electrode layer and a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) stop layer formed over the metal electrode layer; forming an insulation layer over the patterned film stack; planarizing the insulation layer to the CMP stop layer; measuring a remaining thickness of the CMP stop layer; and forming a membrane support layer over the patterned film stack, wherein the membrane support layer is formed at thickness dependent upon the measured remaining thickness of the CMP stop layer, such that a combined thickness of the CMP stop layer and the membrane support layer corresponds to a desired transducer cavity depth.

Abstract: An ultrasound device, including a profile generator, an encoder configured to receive a profile signal from the profile generator, and an attenuator configured to receive a signal representing an output of an ultrasound sensor and coupled to the encoder to receive a control signal from the encoder, the attenuator including a plurality of attenuator stages, the attenuator configured to produce an output signal that is an attenuated version of the input signal.

Abstract: A method of forming an ultrasonic transducer device includes forming an insulating layer having topographic features over a lower transducer electrode layer of a substrate; forming a conformal, anti-stiction layer over the insulating layer such that the conformal layer also has the topographic features; defining a cavity in a support layer formed over the anti-stiction layer; and bonding a membrane to the support layer.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to apparatuses and methods for performing elevational beamforming of ultrasound data. Elevational beamforming may be implemented by different types of control circuitry. Certain control circuitry may be configured to control memory such that ultrasound data from different elevational channels is summed with stored ultrasound data in the memory that was collected at different times. Certain control circuitry may be configured to control a decimator to decimate ultrasound data from different elevational channels with different phases. Certain control circuitry may be configured to control direct digital synthesis circuitry to add a different phase offset to complex signals generated by the DDS circuitry for multiplying with ultrasound data from different elevational channels.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ultrasound imaging device involves forming an interposer structure, including forming a first metal material within openings through a substate and on top and bottom surfaces of the substrate, patterning the first metal material, forming a dielectric layer over the patterned first metal material, forming openings within the dielectric layer to expose portions of the patterned first metal material, filling the openings with a second metal material, forming a third metal material on the top and bottom surfaces of the substrate, and patterning the third metal material. The method further involves forming a packaging structure for an ultrasound-on-chip device, including attaching a multi-layer flex substrate to a carrier wafer, bonding a first side of an ultrasound-on-chip device to the multi-layer flex substrate, bonding a second side of the ultrasound-on-chip device to a first side of the interposer structure, and removing the carrier wafer.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to techniques for guiding an operator to use an ultrasound device. Thereby, operators with little or no experience operating ultrasound devices may capture medically relevant ultrasound images and/or interpret the contents of the obtained ultrasound images. For example, some of the techniques disclosed herein may be used to identify a particular anatomical view of a subject to image with an ultrasound device, guide an operator of the ultrasound device to capture an ultrasound image of the subject that contains the particular anatomical view, and/or analyze the captured ultrasound image to identify medical information about the subject.

Abstract: Ultrasound devices are disclosed. The ultrasound devices have an elevational dimension. Different percentages of the aperture of the ultrasound device corresponding to different percentages of the elevational dimension are utilized in different applications. The resolution of imagine may be adjusted in connection with usage of different percentages of the aperture.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a membrane, a bottom electrode, and a plurality of cavities disposed between the membrane and the bottom electrode, each of the plurality of cavities corresponding to an individual transducer cell. Portions of the bottom electrode corresponding to each individual transducer cell are electrically isolated from one another. Each portion of the bottom electrode corresponds to each individual transducer that cell further includes a first bottom electrode portion and a second bottom electrode portion, the first and second bottom electrode portions electrically isolated from one another.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to guiding collection of ultrasound data collection using motion and/or orientation data. A first instruction for rotating or tilting the ultrasound imaging device to a default orientation may be provided. Based on determining that the ultrasound imaging device is in the default orientation, a second instruction for translating the ultrasound imaging device to a target position may be provided. Based on determining that the ultrasound imaging device is in the target position, a third instruction for rotating or tilting the ultrasound imaging device to a target orientation may be provided.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer device includes an electrode, a membrane, and vias. The membrane is separated from the electrode by a cavity between the membrane and the electrode. The vias electrically connect the electrode to a substrate disposed on an opposite side of the electrode from a side facing the membrane. The vias are disposed in the ultrasound transducer device such that greater than 50% of the vias overlap with the cavity in a plan view.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to control circuitry configured to turn on and off the ADC driver. In some embodiments, the control circuitry is configured to turn on and off the ADC driver in synchronization with sampling activity of an ADC, in particular based on when an ADC is sampling. The control circuitry may be configured to turn on the ADC driver during the hold phase of the ADC a time period before the track phase and to turn off the ADC driver during the hold phase a time period after the track phase. In some embodiments, the control circuitry is configured to control a duty cycle of the ADC driver turning on and off. In some embodiments, the control circuitry is configured to control a ratio between an off current and an on current in the ADC driver.