Method of operating an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver

1. A method of operating an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver, the method comprising:

providing a MEMS composite transducer comprising

a substrate, portions of the substrate defining an outer boundary of a cavity;

a first MEMS transducing member including a first size, a first portion of the first MEMS transducing member being anchored to the substrate, a second portion of the first MEMS transducing member extending over at least a portion of the cavity, the second portion of the first MEMS transducing member being free to move relative to the cavity;

a second MEMS transducing member including a second size smaller than the first size, a first portion of the second MEMS transducing member being anchored to the substrate, a second portion of the second MEMS transducing member extending over at least a portion of the cavity, the second portion of the second MEMS transducing member being free to move relative to the cavity; and

a compliant membrane positioned in contact with the first and second MEMS transducing members, a first portion of the compliant membrane covering the first and second MEMS transducing members, and a second portion of the compliant membrane being anchored to the substrate;

sending electrical pulses to the first MEMS transducing member, thereby causing the first MEMS transducing member and the compliant membrane to vibrate;

transmitting the vibrations of the first MEMS transducing member and the compliant membrane to an object;

receiving echo signals from the object; and

converting the received echo signals into electrical signals by the second MEMS transducing member.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein sending electrical pulses to the first MEMS transducing member further comprises providing electrical pulses having a voltage amplitude greater than 20 volts.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein sending electrical pulses to the first MEMS transducing member further comprises providing electrical pulses having a pulse width less than 1 microsecond.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein sending electrical pulses to the first MEMS transducing member further comprises providing a first electrical pulse, waiting a delay time of less than 1 microsecond, and sending a second electrical pulse.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein transmitting vibrations to an object further comprises providing contact between the ultrasonic transmitter and receiver and the object.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein providing contact further comprises applying a transmission enhancing material to the object.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the transmission enhancing material is a gel.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the object is alive.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising amplifying the electrical signals from the second MEMS transducing member.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the MEMS composite transducer is one of a plurality of MEMS composite transducers.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein sending electrical pulses further comprises controlling the timing of electrical pulses for different ones of the plurality of MEMS composite transducers in order to form a wave front of ultrasonic waves.

12. The method according to claim 10 further comprising processing the signals from the plurality of MEMS composite transducers to provide an image of the object.

13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising displaying the image.

14. The method according to claim 12 further comprising storing the image.

15. The method according to claim 12 further comprising printing the image.