In this article, we discuss how to perform a Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) on a PMUT ultrasonic sensor in OnScale to obtain a full picture of the design space.

Ultrasound Transducers: Modalities and Operation During the last several decades, ultrasound devices have become ubiquitous in daily life for various airborne and immersion applications such as automobile, parking sensors, and medical imaging. Traditional piezoelectric transducers were previously used mainly in ultrasound applications however, in the past two decades, micromachined ultrasound transducers (MUTs) have been developed and used in several medical imaging and consumer electronics applications such as handheld/catheter-based medical devices and fingerprint sensors. In general, MUTs operate in 2 different mechanisms, capacitive force (CMUT) or piezoelectric (PMUT) sensing-actuation. See figure 1 and ref. [1] [2].

Human fingerprints are detailed, unique and more importantly, invariant over time, making them useful and reliable markers of human identity. Fingerprint sensors are used to capture an image of a human fingerprint, and can be realized through different technologies such as optical, capacitive and acoustic mechanisms [1] [2] [3] [4]. Ultrasonic sensing has started to make headway into much wider applications as new ultrasonic transducer technologies have reduced the power, size, and cost of the technology. With significant use in the medical and industrial markets, consumer electronics is also starting to adopt this technology.

In this blog post we discuss piezoelectric transducers and the best way to model them with finite element analysis (FEA).

In the rapidly developing world of Internet of Things (IoT), the radio frequency front-end (RFFE) of smart devices will have to handle higher data rates and access the full bandwidth of 4G/5G wireless technology. The reason for this, of course, is the growing demands of ubiquitous low latency data at higher operating frequencies required to accommodate enhanced data transmission capabilities and rapidly growing numbers of users.

In this blog post we discuss how ultrasonic sensors work and how a vibrating piezoelectric disc generates ultrasonic waves. We have also included an interactive demo to show you how to simulate an ultrasonic sensor in OnScale using Finite Element Analysis. An ultrasonic sensor is a system that can emit and receive ultrasonic waves. It is generally used to sense the distance to and from an object. It also belongs to the family of “transducers” because it generates ultrasonic waves from an alternating voltage. Thus, it transforms electrical energy into acoustic energy.

In this blog post we discuss the key solver capabilities that OnScale provides to RF engineers designing acoustic filters. We describe the process of simulating different resonators based on surface acoustic wave (SAW) and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) technology.

We are so thankful to our awesome customers! This post is a special “thank you” to all of you who attend our webinars and ask such excellent questions. It is through your questions that we learn what’s important to OnScale users and this, in turn, allows us to continuously improve our software. The conversations that start in our webinar Q&A often carry over into the OnScale offices and we’re always happy when we hear them coming up in our development meetings.

“Insufficient RAM”

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting an OnScale workshop in Burlington, Massachusetts on August 27th! Join to learn about the capabilities and technology of the OnScale approach to semiconductor, MEMS, transducers, and sensors simulation. Hear from world-class experts about the future of engineering simulation and how to overcome its challenges. Experience hands-on how OnScale’s software can enhance your workflow reducing the need for physical prototypes and achieving more design wins.