Multiple-Channel High-Voltage Power Drive Circuit for Medical Ultrasound Scanners

摘要

The paper presents a 4-channel power drive circuit for medical ultrasound scanners using 0.5 μm CMOS SOI technology. The power driver consists of level shifters, pre-driving circuits, and a high-voltage push-pull output stage. The level shifters shift the input low-level transmit signals to high positive and negative voltages to drive the output stage, while the auxiliary circuit is used to assist the main driver to quickly return the output voltage to a zero-level voltage. The power driver can produce larger than 100 Vpp output pulses with rising and falling times of 25 nsec and 18 nsec, respectively, under a 1-KΩ resistance in parallel with a 220-pF capacitance load. Experimental results exhibit the capability of the designed 4-channel power drive circuit can support ultrasound scanners for a wide range of voltage operations.