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A Pitch-Matched Transceiver ASIC for 3D Ultrasonography with Micro-Beamforming ADCs based on Passive Boxcar Integration and a Multi-Level Datalink

Guo, P. (author), Chang, Z.Y. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Vos, H.J. (author), Bosch, J. G. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author)

This paper presents a pitch-matched transceiver ASIC integrated with a 2-D transducer array for a wearable ultrasound device for transfontanelle ultrasonography. The ASIC combines 8-fold multiplexing, 4-channel micro-beamforming (μ BF) and sub-array-level digitization to achieve a 128-fold channel-count reduction. The μ BF is based on passive...

conference paper 2023

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High-frame-rate Volumetric Porcine Cardiac Imaging

Wei, Luxi (author), Wahyulaksana, G. (author), Boni, Enrico (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Tortoli, Piero (author), van der Steen, A.F.W. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), Vos, H.J. (author)

Volumetric echocardiography can potentially give a more complete picture of cardiac dynamics than its two-dimensional (2D) counterpart. Current clinical volumetric imaging probes have relatively low frame rates, and often require ECG gating to stitch together an entire volume. This makes measuring fast dynamics of the heart as well as imaging...

conference paper 2023

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Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Subdicing on an Ultrasound Matrix Transducer

Simoes dos Santos, D. (author), Fool, F. (author), Kim, Taehoon (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Vos, H.J. (author), Bosch, Johan G. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author)

Over the past decades, real-time three-dimensional (3D) medical ultrasound has attracted much attention since it enables clinicians to diagnose more accurately. This calls for ultrasound matrix transducers with a large number of elements, which can be interfaced with an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for data reduction. An...

conference paper 2021

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Fabrication and Characterization of a Prototype Forward-Looking Single-Cable 64-Element Intra-Vascular Ultrasound Probe

van Willigen, D.M. (author), Mozaffarzadeh, M. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author), Daeichin, V. (author)

This paper presents the integration steps towards a prototype forward-looking intra-vascular ultrasound probe. An ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) is laser cut to create a 1.6mm circular shaped die that can be integrated at the tip of a small catheter. The ASIC is designed such that it can be used to transmit and receive on 64...

conference paper 2019

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A 1.2mW/channel 100m-Pitch-Matched Transceiver ASIC with Boxcar-Integration-Based RX Micro-Beamformer for High-Resolution 3D Ultrasound Imaging

Guo, P. (author), Fool, F. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Chang, Z.Y. (author), Vos, H.J. (author), Bosch, Johan G. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author)

The integration of 2D ultrasonic transducer arrays and pitch-matched ASICs has enabled the realization of various 3D ultrasound imaging devices in recent years [1]-[3]. As applications such as 3D intravascular ultrasonography, intra-cardiac echocardiography, and trans-fontanelle ultrasonography call for miniaturization and improved spatial...

conference paper 2022

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A Pitch-Matched ASIC with Integrated 65V TX and Shared Hybrid Beamforming ADC for Catheter-Based High-Frame-Rate 3D Ultrasound Probes

Hopf, Y.M. (author), Ossenkoppele, B.W. (author), Soozande, M. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Chang, Z.Y. (author), Chen, C. (author), Vos, H.J. (author), Bosch, J.G. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author)

Intra-cardiac echography (ICE) probes (Fig. 32.2.1) are widely used in electrophysiology for their good procedure guidance and relatively safe application. ASICs are increasingly employed in these miniature probes to enhance signal quality and reduce the number of connections needed in mm-diameter catheters [1]-[5]. 3D visualization in real...

conference paper 2022

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High Frame Rate Volumetric Imaging of Microbubbles Using a Sparse Array and Spatial Coherence Beamforming

Wei, Luxi (author), Wahyulaksana, G. (author), Meijlink, Bram (author), Ramalli, Alessandro (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), van der Steen, A.F.W. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Vos, H.J. (author)

Volumetric ultrasound imaging of blood flow with microbubbles enables a more complete visualization of the microvasculature. Sparse arrays are ideal candidates to perform volumetric imaging at reduced manufacturing complexity and cable count. However, due to the small number of transducer elements, sparse arrays often come with high clutter...

journal article 2021

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A Pitch-Matched Transceiver ASIC With Shared Hybrid Beamforming ADC for High-Frame-Rate 3-D Intracardiac Echocardiography

Hopf, Y.M. (author), Ossenkoppele, Boudewine W. (author), Soozande, Mehdi (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Chang, Z.Y. (author), Chen, Chao (author), Vos, H.J. (author), Bosch, Johan G. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author)

In this article, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for 3-D, high-frame-rate ultrasound imaging probes is presented. The design is the first to combine element-level, high-voltage (HV) transmitters and analog front-ends, subarray beamforming, and in-probe digitization in a scalable fashion for catheter-based probes. The...

journal article 2022

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Design of an ultrasound transceiver asic with a switching-artifact reduction technique for 3D carotid artery imaging

Kim, Taehoon (author), Fool, F. (author), Simoes dos Santos, D. (author), Chang, Z.Y. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Vos, H.J. (author), Bosch, Johan G. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author)

This paper presents an ultrasound transceiver application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) directly integrated with an array of 12 × 80 piezoelectric transducer elements to enable next-generation ultrasound probes for 3D carotid artery imaging. The ASIC, implemented in a 0.18 µm high-voltage Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (HV BCD) process, adopted a...

journal article 2021

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A Pitch-Matched Low-Noise Analog Front-End With Accurate Continuous Time-Gain Compensation for High-Density Ultrasound Transducer Arrays

Guo, P. (author), Chang, Z.Y. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Vos, H.J. (author), Bosch, Johan G. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author)

This article presents a compact analog front-end (AFE) circuit for ultrasound receivers with linear-in-dB continuous gain control for time-gain compensation (TGC). The AFE consists of two variable-gain stages, both of which employ a novel complementary current-steering network (CCSN) as the interpolator to realize continuously variable gain....

journal article 2022

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An Ultrasound Matrix Transducer for High-Frame-Rate 3-D Intra-cardiac Echocardiography

Simoes dos Santos, D. (author), Ossenkoppele, B.W. (author), Hopf, Y.M. (author), Soozande, Mehdi (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Vos, H.J. (author), Bosch, Johan G. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author)

Objective: Described here is the development of an ultrasound matrix transducer prototype for high-frame-rate 3-D intra-cardiac echocardiography. Methods: The matrix array consists of 16 × 18 lead zirconate titanate elements with a pitch of 160 µm × 160 µm built on top of an application-specific integrated circuit that generates transmission...

journal article 2024

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A Transceiver ASIC for a Single-Cable 64-Element Intra-Vascular Ultrasound Probe

van Willigen, D.M. (author), Kang, E. (author), Janjic, Jovana (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Chang, Z.Y. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author)

This article presents an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designed for intra-vascular ultrasound imaging that interfaces 64 piezoelectric transducer elements to an imaging system using a single micro-coaxial cable. Thus, it allows a single-element transducer to be replaced by a transducer array to enable 3-D imaging. The 1.5-mm...

journal article 2021

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A Compact Integrated High-Voltage Pulser Insensitive to Supply Transients for 3-D Miniature Ultrasound Probes

Hopf, Y.M. (author), Ossenkoppele, B.W. (author), Soozande, M. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Chang, Z.Y. (author), Vos, H.J. (author), Bosch, Johan G. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author)

In this letter, a compact high-voltage (HV) transmit circuit for dense 2-D transducer arrays used in 3-D ultrasonic imaging systems is presented. Stringent area requirements are addressed by a unipolar pulser with embedded transmit/receive switch. Combined with a capacitive HV level shifter, it forms the ultrasonic HV...

journal article 2022

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A Pitch-Matched High-Frame-Rate Ultrasound Imaging ASIC for Catheter-Based 3-D Probes

Hopf, Y.M. (author), Simoes dos Santos, D. (author), Ossenkoppele, Boudewine W. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Chang, Z.Y. (author), Chen, Chao (author), Vos, H.J. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author)

This article presents an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for catheter-based 3-D ultrasound imaging probes. The pitch-matched design implements a comprehensive architecture with high-voltage (HV) transmitters, analog front ends, hybrid beamforming analog-To-digital converters (ADCs), and data transmission to the imaging system....

journal article 2024

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High-Frame-Rate Volumetric Porcine Renal Vasculature Imaging

Wei, Luxi (author), Wahyulaksana, G. (author), Boni, Enrico (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Duncker, Dirk J. (author), Tortoli, Piero (author), van der Steen, A.F.W. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), Vos, H.J. (author)

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and imaging options of contrast-enhanced volumetric ultrasound kidney vasculature imaging in a porcine model using a prototype sparse spiral array. Methods: Transcutaneous freehand in vivo imaging of two healthy porcine kidneys was performed according to three protocols with...

journal article 2023

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Sparse 2-D PZT-on-PCB Arrays With Density Tapering

Wei, Luxi (author), Boni, Enrico (author), Ramalli, Alessandro (author), Fool, F. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), van der Steen, A.F.W. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), Tortoli, Piero (author), de Jong, N. (author), Vos, H.J. (author)

Two-dimensional (2-D) arrays offer volumetric imaging capabilities without the need for probe translation or rotation. A sparse array with elements seeded in a tapering spiral pattern enables one-to-one connection to an ultrasound machine, thus allowing flexible transmission and reception strategies. To test the concept of sparse spiral array...

journal article 2022

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Design and Proof-of-Concept of a Matrix Transducer Array for Clamp-on Ultrasonic Flow Measurements

Massaad Mouawad, J.M. (author), van Neer, P.L.M.J. (author), van Willigen, D.M. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author)

Common clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters consist of two single-element transducers placed on the pipe wall. Flow speed is measured noninvasively, i.e., without interrupting the flow and without perforating the pipe wall, which also minimizes safety risks and avoids pressure drops inside the pipe. However, before metering, the transducers have...

journal article 2022

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A Front-End ASIC with Receive Sub-array Beamforming Integrated with a 32 × 32 PZT Matrix Transducer for 3-D Transesophageal Echocardiography

Chen, C. (author), Chen, Z. (author), Bera, Deep (author), Raghunathan, S.B. (author), Shabanimotlagh, M. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Chang, Z.Y. (author), Ponte, Jacco (author), Prins, Christian (author), Vos, H.J. (author), Bosch, J.G. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author)

This paper presents a power-and area-efficient front-end application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that is directly integrated with an array of 32 × 32 piezoelectric transducer elements to enable next-generation miniature ultrasound probes for real-time 3-D transesophageal echocardiography. The 6.1 × 6.1 mm² ASIC, implemented...

journal article 2017

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A Front-End ASIC With High-Voltage Transmit Switching and Receive Digitization for 3-D Forward-Looking Intravascular Ultrasound Imaging

Tan, M. (author), Chen, C. (author), Chen, Z. (author), Janjic, Jovana (author), Daeichin, V. (author), Chang, Z.Y. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), van Soest, G. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author)

This paper presents an area- and power-efficient application-specified integrated circuit (ASIC) for 3-D forward-looking intravascular ultrasound imaging. The ASIC is intended to be mounted at the tip of a catheter, and has a circular active area with a diameter of 1.5 mm on the top of which a 2-D array of piezoelectric transducer elements is...

journal article 2018

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A Reconfigurable Ultrasound Transceiver ASIC With 24 x 40 Elements for 3-D Carotid Artery Imaging

Kang, E. (author), Ding, Q. (author), Shabanimotlagh, M. (author), Kruizinga, P. (author), Chang, Z.Y. (author), Noothout, E.C. (author), Vos, H.J. (author), Bosch, J.W. (author), Verweij, M.D. (author), de Jong, N. (author), Pertijs, M.A.P. (author)

This paper presents an ultrasound transceiver application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designed for 3-D ultrasonic imaging of the carotid artery. This application calls for an array of thousands of ultrasonic transducer elements, far exceeding the number of channels of conventional imaging systems. The 3.6 x 6.8 mm² ASIC...

journal article 2018