Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer

A device for ultrasonic transmission and/or reception, the device comprising:

• a substrate, an electrical input port and an electrical output port supported on the substrate, a cavity formed in the substrate;
• a membrane suspended over the cavity, the membrane supported on the substrate along opposed edges of the substrate adjacent the cavity, the membrane comprising a piezoelectric layer having an upper surface facing away from the cavity;
• two activation electrodes disposed on the upper surface of the membrane, the activation electrodes comprising an input electrode in electrical communication with the electrical input port and an output electrode in electrical communication with the electrical output port, each of the input electrode and the output electrode disposed over the cavity in the substrate and in a parallel alignment with a corresponding one of the opposed edges of the substrate;
• and
• circuitry in communication with the activation electrodes to apply an input signal to excite a flexural mode of mechanical vibration in the membrane, the flexural mode of vibration including a displacement in a cross-sectional plane of the membrane.