Objective.　In　this　study,　nonlinearly　frequency-modulated　(NLFM)　ultrasound　was　applied　to　magneto-acousto-electrical　tomography　(MAET)　to　increase　the　dynamic　range　of　detection.　Approach.　Generation　of　NLFM　signals　using　window　function　method-based　on　the　principle　of　stationary　phase-and　piecewise　linear　frequency　modulation　method-based　on　the　genetic　algorithm-was　discussed.　The　MAET　experiment　systems　using　spike,　linearly　frequency-modulated　(LFM),　or　NLFM　pulse　stimulation　were　constructed,　and　three　groups　of　MAET　experiments　on　saline　agar　phantom　samples　were　carried　out　to　verify　the　performance-respectively　the　sensitivity,　the　dynamic　range,　and　the　longitudinal　resolution　of　detection-of　MAET　using　NLFM　ultrasound　in　comparison　to　that　using　LFM　ultrasound.　Based　on　the　above　experiments,　a　pork　sample　was　imaged　by　ultrasound　imaging　method,　spike　MAET　method,　LFM　MAET　method,　and　NLFM　MAET　method,　to　compare　the　imaging　accuracy.　Main　results.　The　experiment　results　showed　that,　through　sacrificing　very　little　main-lobe　width　of　pulse　compression　or　equivalently　the　longitudinal　resolution,　the　MAET　using　NLFM　ultrasound　achieved　higher　signal-to-interference　ratio　(and　therefore　higher　detection　sensitivity),　lower　side-lobe　levels　of　pulse　compression　(and　therefore　larger　dynamic　range　of　detection),　and　large　anti-interference　capability,　compared　to　the　MAET　using　LFM　ultrasound.　Significance.　The　applicability　of　the　MAET　using　NLFM　ultrasound　was　proved　in　circumferences　where　sensitivity　and　dynamic　range　of　detection　were　mostly　important　and　slightly　lower　longitudinal　resolution　of　detection　was　acceptable.　The　study　furthered　the　scheme　of　using　coded　ultrasound　excitation　toward　the　clinical　application　of　MAET.