High power, high frequency pulser for use in ultrasound

A method of transforming a signal into a pulse for use in ultrasound, comprising:

• receiving a signal at a first gate driver and a second gate driver;
• transforming the signal from the first gate driver into a first pulsed signal with a first gallium nitride (GaN) transistor;
• transforming the signal from the second gate driver into a second pulsed signal with a second GaN transistor;
• passing the first pulsed signal through a first snubber circuit, wherein the first snubber circuit comprises a first resistor and a first capacitor;
• passing the second pulsed signal through a second snubber circuit, wherein the second snubber circuit comprises a second resistor and a second capacitor;
• and
• passing the first pulsed signal and the second pulsed signal through a transformer, wherein the transformer comprises a plurality of windings in a center tapped configuration, and wherein the first pulsed signal and the second pulsed signal become a single output signal after passing through the transformer.

An ultrasound pulse generator circuit comprising:

• a first gate driver electrically coupled to a first gallium nitride (GaN) transistor and the first gate driver is configured to receive a signal from a transmitter beam former;
• a second gate driver electrically coupled to a second GaN transistor and the second gate driver is configured to receive the signal from the transmitter beam former;
• a first snubber circuit and second snubber circuit, each comprising a respective capacitor and resistor, wherein each snubber circuit is configured to clamp a voltage overshoot when present;
• and
• a transformer configured to generate an output signal suitable for driving an ultrasound transducer array, wherein the transformer is electrically connected downstream of the first GaN transistor, the second GaN transistor, the first snubber circuit, and the second snubber circuit, and wherein the transformer comprises a plurality of windings in a center tapped configuration.