Looking for contractor to design a Piezo Receiver Preamplifier

Victor Motov

Hello all,
Can anyone suggest the contractor (electronic design company), who can design for us a multi-channel preamplifier co-located with a piezoelectric ultrasound receiver array, for the purpose of receiving very low power acoustic signals from near DC up to approximately 5 MHz. Our application is fundamentally limited by the noise floor.
The piezo receiver array is 32 elements. Each element is 15 mm tall, spaced 0.85 mm. All 32 channels share a common ground, and their signals are presented on a single high-density connector (TBD). The volume available behind the array for the 32 channel preamplifier is approximately 28 x 15 x ~50 mm.
The preamplifier is located at the receiver to avoid loading the receiver by a long cable. The preamplifier drives approximately 100 pF of cable followed by a digitizer with a noise figure of 6-8 dB and an input impedance of about 250 ohms.
More detailed requirements will be sent upon request.
US located contractor only please.
Thank you.

over 9 years ago

Samir Cherian over 9 years ago

TI__Genius 12631 points

Hello Victor,

Unfortunately we do not have any information on contractors for design services as we dont use them ourselves. However, we can assist & guide you in designing the circuit. Is this acceptable? We can work on this through emails if you have privacy concerns.

Regards,

Samir

Victor Motov over 9 years ago in reply to Samir Cherian

Prodigy 20 points

Thank you, Samir,

Yes, it is acceptable.

Please look for design requirements below. Can you suggest me the best candidate component/chip?

My direct email: vmotov@endrainc.com

Thank you,

Victor Motov

Endra Piezo Receiver Preamplifier

We require a multi-channel preamplifier to be co-located with a piezoelectric ultrasound receiver array, for the purpose of receiving very low power acoustic signals from near DC up to approximately 5 MHz. Our application is fundamentally limited by the noise floor.

The piezo receiver is a voltage-mode device, with a characteristic capacitance of typically 40 pF and near-infinite DC resistance. Typical signal amplitudes are 1 mV, but span from the noise floor (microvolts) to more than 100 mV.

The piezo receiver array is 32 elements. Each element is 15 mm tall, spaced 0.85 mm. All 32 channels share a common ground, and their signals are presented on a single high-density connector (TBD). The volume available behind the array for the 32 channel preamplifier is approximately 28 x 15 x ~50 mm. The arrays are intended to be end-buttable in the both the 15 mm and 28 mm dimensions, for use in larger arrays.

The preamplifier is located at the receiver to avoid loading the receiver by a long cable. The preamplifier drives approximately 100 pF of cable followed by a digitizer with a noise figure of 6-8 dB and an input impedance of about 250 ohms.

The each channel of preamplifier should have a enable/disable control line. To reduce the number of control lines, a multiplexers or other digital devices can be used.

The preamplifier will be located in a high-RFI environment and must survive repeated pulsed high intensity electric fields.

Preamplifier specifications:

Parameter	Min	Nom	Max	Unit	Notes
Passband	0.02		4	MHz	Nominal -1 dB passband
Low Freq -3dB cutoff	0		10	kHz	DC block OK, but not required
High Freq -3dB cutoff	5		10	MHz
Voltage gain	3	4	5		10 dB nominal gain
Gain flatness			1	dB	voltage gain flatness +/- < 12% within passband
Noise figure		3	6	dB	equivalent performance, for reference
Voltage noise		1	2		input-referred noise within passband, target
Noise, rms		2	5	uVrms	total noise within passband
Source impedance		40		pF	piezoelectric voltage source
Load resistance		250		ohms
Load capacitance	20	100	300	pF	Dominated by coax cable capacitance
Power		5		VDC	Flexible, determined by amplifier design (3)
Power dissipation		20	50	mW	per channel. Flexible. Maximum determined by cooling considerations (2)
Ambient temperature	10	20	40	C	Operating environment outside enclosure
Temperature rise.			15	C	enclosure exterior surface, for operator safety.(1)
Recovery time			2	micro- seconds	Time to 0.01% after end of input saturation.(4)
Physical volume			0.5	cubic cm per chan	Must fit in handheld enclosure, approx 2.5 x 5 x 1.5 cm space available, including connectors. (5)
Channel crosstalk			-40	dB	To be determined

Input / output terminations: high density connector, Molex Slimstack series.

Molex 53748-0608 / 52991-0608.

Output termination includes input power lines.

Notes:

1. Enclosure: Preamplifier is in a metal enclosure with the piezo receiver, sealed against water ingress and RF interference. Available power is limited by cable wire gauge. Cooling is limited to conduction through case. There is currently no provision for thermal conduction from preamp components to the enclosure wall, but this may be added.

2. Maximum power dissipation is determined by total power dissipation and maximum allowed temperature rise of the sealed enclosure.

3. Power source will be determined by amplifier design. Preferred is 3.3 or 5 VDC single supply. Split supply permitted. 12V permitted. Local regulator(s) may be used if required and permitted by thermal considerations.

4. Input protection: must survive high intensity pulsed RFI at UHF frequencies, typically <1us @ 434 MHz. Field outside the enclosure shield is approximately 1000V/cm. Conducted signal within the shield at the receiver may approach 100 Vp-p. Existing equipment successfully uses only cable capacitance (~100 pF) and ON Semi BAV99LT1G diodes to ground for protection.

5. Dimensions may be relaxed for prototype, provided board dimensions are known well in advance to fabricate the enclosure accordingly.

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