STMicroelectronics announces highly integrated ultrasonic transmitter

     Today's portable scanners are almost the size of a smartphone, but the image quality is comparable to the large, high-end image scanning systems that were expensive a few years ago. STHVUP64 ultrasonic transmitter drive testing instruments piezoelectric transmitter (sensor), improve imaging flexibility, increase beam numerical control innovation technology, save circuit board space, promote the development trend of industrial medical testing instruments lightweight.

     STHVUP64 is a 64-channel ultrasonic transmitter that provides a highly integrated solution for developing handheld wireless scanners. STHVUP64 can drive up to 256 probe components directly, eliminating the expensive high-voltage switch tube usually needed between the transmitter and probe, allowing designers to reduce bill of material costs and exploit the space saved inside the scanner to develop more features.

     In addition to the usual 3V level output, STHVUP64 is introducing new 5V level output capabilities that allow image quality optimization to become more flexible. With driving currents up to ±400mA, STHVUP64 can drive high speed sensors for a variety of imaging modes. The high drive current also helps to achieve a minimum pulse duration of 5ns, improve the control accuracy of the sensor, and maximize the enhancement of image detail. The transmitter supports both continuous wave (CW) and pulsed wave (PW) modes for various types of detection analysis, including cavity and liquid flow.

     In addition, beam numerical control can enhance the control of beam direction with a higher precision than traditional analog control techniques using delay circuits. By integrating logic circuits on the chip, the transmitter eliminates the need for a companion controller chip, for example, an FPGA for beam control, saving PCB board area, reducing wiring complexity, and bypassing FPGA design challenges.

     The new transmitter also has a self-biased driver architecture that eliminates the need for off-chip power decoupling capacitors, which helps reduce board area and bill of Materials cost (BOM). In addition, the new product comes in a smaller package than its peers, giving designers more flexibility to develop smaller next-generation products.

     Low power is very important for battery powered systems, we STHVUP64 not only low power, but also rich in features to bring a good experience. On-chip memory can preserve transmission patterns, and clock signals up to 200MHz can synchronize data transmission, minimizing transmission jitter and improving image quality. The chip's communication port also supports multiple CMOS signal standards recommended for today's highest system clock signal frequencies.

     The internal protection functions of the chip include noise blocking, overheat protection, undervoltage protection and circulating current protection. There is also a diagnostic register on the chip that reads the cause of the interruption directly for debugging in the event of a failure.

     The ultrasonic transmitter uses Stmicro's market-proven BCD8s-SOI manufacturing technology, which enables the integration of analog (bipolar transistor), digital (CMOS) and power supply (DMOS) circuits on the same chip. The new product is now in production, in a 10mm x 10mm x 1.4mm FC-BGA196 ball package.