Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer

A capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) comprising:

• an insulating first substrate;
• a conductive second substrate provided on the first substrate, comprising a plurality of through holes, and functioning as a bottom electrode;
• a top electrode provided over the second substrate to be spaced above and apart from the second substrate, the top electrode comprising a nanoplate having a nanometer-level thickness;
• a supporter made of an insulating material, the supporter on a topmost surface of the first substrate and in direct contact with a bottommost surface of the top electrode, the supporter extending along an outermost periphery of the first substrate and the top electrode to define a continuous looped structure that supports and fixes an edge of the top electrode to an edge of the first substrate and to define a gap between the topmost surface of the first substrate, sidewalls of the supporter, and the bottommost surface of the top electrode, the gap comprising a vacuum sealed from an external environment by the substrate, the top electrode, and the supporter;
• and
• a plurality of nanoposts having a first end coupled and fixed directly to the topmost surface of the first substrate and a second end in direct contact with the bottommost surface of the top electrode though the plurality of through holes in the gap vacuum sealed from the external environment and being stretchable and compressible in a longitudinal direction to at least vertically move the top electrode when power is applied between the top electrode and the bottom electrode, wherein each of the plurality of nanoposts comprises a monocrystalline wire having a nanometer-level diameter of a semiconductor material;
• and
• a top plate reinforcement having a bottommost surface directly on a topmost surface of the top electrode opposite the plurality of nanoposts, the top plate reinforcement extending continuously over the plurality of nanoposts and positioned to prevent portions of the top electrode directly under the top plate reinforcement from bending while being vertically moved by the plurality of nanoposts, the bottommost surface above a topmost surface of the supporter when power is not applied to the top electrode and below the topmost surface of the supporter when power is applied to the top electrode, the top plate reinforcement comprising a plurality of holes vertically offset from and alternating with the plurality of nanoposts such that portions of the top electrode exposed by respective holes of the plurality of holes may vibrate separately from a spring motion of the plurality of nanoposts;
• wherein, when power of a first frequency is applied between the top electrode and the bottom electrode, the plurality of nanoposts may be compressed and stretched and the top electrode coupled to the plurality of nanoposts may vertically move together with the top plate reinforcement;
• and
• wherein, when power of a second frequency is applied between the top electrode and the bottom electrode, the plurality of nanoposts do not compress or stretch and the portions of the top electrode exposed by respective holes of the plurality of holes operate at the second frequency independently of motion of the plurality of nanoposts.