Revitalizing CMUTs

CMUTs (Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers) are causing a technological revolution. Research over the last decade showed that CMUTs can sufficiently replace traditional ultrasound technology based on the bulk PZT, along with other benefits such as lower assembly cost, broader bandwidth and monolithic integration capability with ASICs...

Pitch-Matched Integrated Transceiver Circuits for High-Resolution 3-D Neonatal Brain Monitoring

This thesis presents the design and implementation of integrated ultrasound transceivers for use in transfontanelle ultrasonography (TFUS). Two generations of ultrasound transceiver ASICs integrated with PZT transducer arrays intended for TFUS are presented. In the first generation, a novel AFE design that combines an LNA with the continuous TGC...

Integrated Circuits for 3D High-Frame-Rate Intracardiac Echocardiography Probes

This thesis describes the design of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for high-frame-rate 3D intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) probes. The work follows the whole process from the analysis of the application to the testing of a prototype with all envisioned functionality. It starts with the evaluation of the main challenges posed...

Advanced Measurement Techniques and Circuits for Array-Based Transit-Time Ultrasonic Flow Meters

This thesis describes the design, prototyping and evaluation of matrix-based clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters. Several new measurement techniques are presented as well as an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) designed for accurate measurement of flow velocity with matrix transducers.<br/><br/>The influence of circuit topologies on the...

High-precision Versatile Ultrasonic Flow Meters Based on Matrix Transducer Arrays

Ultrasonic flow meters are widely applied to measure flow in a variety of applications. The vast majority of ultrasonic flow meters are based on the measurement of the transit time of an acoustic pulse through the fluid. This can either be done in-line, by inserting a spool piece with ultrasonic transducers into the pipe carrying the fluid, or...

Effect of Ultrasound on Calcium Carbonate Crystallization

Scaling comprises the formation of hard mineral deposits on process or membrane equipment and calcium carbonate is the most common scaling salt. Especially in reverse osmosis (RO) membrane systems, scale formation has always been a serious limitation, causing flux decline, membrane degradation, loss of production and elevated operating costs. In...

Development of a task-based design approach for solution crystallization processes

Crystallization is historically one of the most important separation and product formation technologies in chemical industry. The future impact of crystallization is expected to increase as new high-added value products are often in crystalline form and need to comply with increasingly stringent product quality requirements. This calls for...