超声阵列的多频脉冲压缩方法研究

脉冲压缩方法通过采用编码信号激励与脉冲压缩接收来提高超声检测的时间分辨率和信噪比。然而,受换能器带宽的限制,编码信号的时间带宽积往往有限,影响脉冲压缩效果。开展了基于超声阵列的多频脉冲压缩方法研究,超声阵列是由具有不同中心频率和带宽的多个阵元组成,从而使得整个阵列具有比单个换能器更宽的带宽。提出了压缩后叠加取包络的脉冲压缩方法,并研究了这种方法在提高时间分辨率和主副瓣比上的技术方案,对多频脉冲压缩的超声阵列进行了设计与优化,发现多频脉冲压缩方法能很大程度地提高时间分辨率,并能有效地抑制各阵元信号叠加产生的周期副瓣。理论和实验结果表明,这种压缩后叠加取包络的方法得到的时间分辨率在性能上受阵元带内不平整度的影响很小,能使阵元压缩包络中的主副瓣比得到明显改善。      

衰减匹配的超声Barker码激励方法

为增加超声穿透高声衰减介质的能力,提出了一种衰减匹配的超声Barker码激励方法。基于换能器高斯响应与材料非频散线性衰减的假设,得到了Barker码激励的信号模型,求解旁瓣抑制滤波后脉冲压缩的信噪比表达式可知,该方法仅需要根据材料衰减特性与轴向分辨率的要求,分别调整Barker码的中心频率与时长,便可以获得更高的信噪比。取衰减系数为1.4 Np/(MHz·cm)、厚度为5 cm的橡胶为试样进行验证。当与方波激励方法的轴向分辨率相近时,衰减匹配的Barker码激励方法比传统Barker码激励方法的信噪比增益提高接近5 dB;当牺牲一定轴向分辨率时,信噪比增益提高接近11 dB。结果表明,衰减匹配的Barker码激励方法可以降低依频率衰减对脉冲压缩的影响,有效提高衰减回波的信噪比。      

Chirp编码的鲁棒医学超声内窥合成孔径方法

提出一种Chirp编码的鲁棒医学超声内窥合成孔径方法(CRSA),以减小人体组织声速误差对成像结果的影响。采用具有大多普勒容限与时间带宽积的Chirp码代替传统的Barker码激励超声换能器;再根据Chirp编码信号的特征,分别在纵向与横向完成超声回波的脉冲压缩。经FieldⅡ仿真实验以及超声成像实验结果验证,和Barker码比较,CRSA方法得到的实验结果,其横向分辨率由1.8 mm提高到1.4 mm;并且在6%的声速误差下,主瓣平均展宽和信噪比衰减分别由0.99 mm和3.8 dB降为0.04 mm和0.2 dB。实验结果表明,CRSA方法可有效抑制声速误差对分辨率与信噪比的影响,鲁棒性更强。      

岩石特性的编码激励超声参数表征及分析

编码激励技术是提高超声穿透能力和分辨率的有效手段。为分析岩石特性对编码信号脉冲压缩性能的影响,通过数值模拟以及不同岩石的超声检测实验,研究并比较了几类编码信号的检测效果。结果表明幅度加权线性调频信号(TLFM)调制的Barker码信号(BTL)受到的信噪比损失低于正弦调制Barker码信号(BS),而分辨率损失要低于TLFM信号。实验结果验证了编码激励技术的有效性,为岩石超声检测中编码参数的设置提供了依据。      

振动声成像系统分辨率研究

本文从振动声成像的基本原理出发，通过引入点扩展函数PSF和定义轴向响应函数ARF，研究了由凹球面聚焦换能器分割而成的一种典型共焦换能器参数对振动声成像系统侧向分辨率和轴向分辨率的影响。计算研究表明：增大凹球面换能器的口径、减小几何焦距和提高中心频率均可以提高系统的侧向分辨率和轴向分辨率；但改变凹球面换能器的分割比例对两种分辨率影响不尽相同。综合考虑超声换能器激励、聚焦性能以及产生的辐射力效果等因素，则换能器应按等辐射面积原则分割为宜。文中还分析了介质的声衰减系数对实际轴向分辨率的影响。     

不同抽运波形条件下参量荧光对信噪比的影响

光参量啁啾脉冲放大器(OPCPA)是现阶段最常用的超短超强脉冲放大器之一。参量荧光是OPCPA的本征量子噪声,其形成的脉冲底座会大大降低输出信号脉冲的信噪比。采用数值模拟的方法,研究了不同脉宽比和抽运波形条件下参量荧光的演化规律及其对信噪比的影响。计算结果表明,在增益一定的情况下,随着脉宽比的增大,信噪比与效率-带宽积都呈先增大后减小的趋势。存在一个最佳脉宽比,使得两者同时达到最大。脉宽比小于此最佳值时,随着超高斯抽运光波形阶数的增大,信噪比减小而效率-带宽积增大;脉宽比大于此最佳值时,随着超高斯抽运光波形阶数的增大,信噪比增大而效率-带宽积减小。     

面向CMUT声发射特性的驱动电路优化设计

根据电容式微机械超声换能器(CMUT)的工作原理,设计了用于驱动CMUT发射超声波的电路.通过适当的串行匹配,消除了脉冲激励信号的过冲现象.在此基础上进一步探究了脉冲激励参数对CMUT声发射特性影响.结果表明,随着激励脉冲个数的增加,CMUT输出超声信号的有效带宽逐渐变窄,二次谐波逐渐增强;随着激励脉冲占空比的增加,C...     

高频超声激励源

对于频率高于50MHz的超声换能器,如何得到有较高幅度、近似于理想δ脉冲的激励信号是比较重要的。在高频换能器允许的条件下,适当提高激励信号的幅度和采用较陡的脉冲前沿,对于提高换能器的灵敏度及分辨率大有益处。一般驱动换能器多使用高频脉冲信号发生器,存在幅度低(<100V)、带容性负     

微纳相控线阵超声换能器参数的理论分析*

微纳相控线阵超声换能器参数(阵元数目、阵元宽度及阵元间距)直接影响其横向声场分布,而其横向声场分布是能否实现高成像分辨率、大探测深度的决定性因素,也是制备换能器的主要依据。该文利用数值模拟研究微纳相控线阵超声换能器阵元参数对其横向声场中主瓣强度、-3 dB主瓣宽度、第一级旁瓣及栅瓣的影响。结果表明,主瓣强度随着阵元数目增加而增大,随阵元间距减小而增大,随着阵元宽度的增大呈现先增大后减小的趋势;-3 dB主瓣宽度随着阵元数目和阵元间距的增大而减小,随着阵元宽度的减小而减小;此外,减小阵元数目、减小阵元间距或增大阵元宽度均可以抑制旁瓣;栅瓣在阵元间距满足一定条件时可以完全消除。通过这些研究为微纳相控线阵超声换能器的优化设计与制备提供理论参考。     

开关振荡器特性阻抗选取对输出波形影响

开关振荡器是宽带高功率电磁脉冲的重要产生方式之一,以开关激励同轴振荡器为例,采用理论计算和电磁仿真为主要手段,从传输线特性阻抗与开关振荡器储能、传输线特性阻抗与天线阻抗关系及传输线特性阻抗和开关导通阻抗关系三个方面进行了研究。研究结果表明:传输线阻抗越小,振荡器储能越高;天线阻抗与传输线阻抗比值越大,输出信号品质因数越大,频谱上能量越集中,带宽越小,能量效率随比值增大呈现先增大后减小趋势;传输线特性阻抗很小时,开关阻抗对输出振荡信号影响增大,此时随特性阻抗减小,输出信号中心频率降低,品质因数减小,频谱上能量分散,带宽较宽。     

Potential of coded excitation in medical ultrasound imaging

Improvement in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and/or penetration depth can be achieved in medical ultrasound by using long coded waveforms, in a similar manner as in radars or sonars. However, the time-bandwidth product (TB) improvement, and thereby SNR improvement is considerably lower in medical ultrasound, due to the lower available bandwidth. There is still space for about 20 dB improvement in the SNR, which will yield a penetration depth up to 20 cm at 5 MHz [M. O'Donnell, IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Contr., 39(3) (1992) 341]. The limited TB additionally yields unacceptably high range sidelobes. However, the frequency weighting from the ultrasonic transducer's bandwidth, although suboptimal, can be beneficial in sidelobe reduction. The purpose of this study is an experimental evaluation of the above considerations in a coded excitation ultrasound system. A coded excitation system based on a modified commercial scanner is presented. A predistorted FM signal is proposed in order to keep the resulting range sidelobes at acceptably low levels. The effect of the transducer is taken into account in the design of the compression filter. Intensity levels have been considered and simulations on the expected improvement in SNR are also presented. Images of a wire phantom and clinical images have been taken with the coded system. The images show a significant improvement in penetration depth and they preserve both axial resolution and contrast.     

Parameter optimization of pulse compression in ultrasound imaging systems with coded excitation

A linear array imaging system with coded excitation is considered, where the proposed excitation/compression scheme maximizes the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and minimizes sidelobes at the output of the compression filter. A pulse with linear frequency modulation (LFM) is used for coded excitation. The excitation/compression scheme is based on the fast digital mismatched filtering. The parameter optimization of the excitation/compression scheme includes (i) choice of an optimal filtering function for the mismatched filtering; (ii) choice of an optimal window function for tapering of the chirp amplitude; (iii) optimization of a chirp-to-transducer bandwidth ratio; (iv) choice of an appropriate n-bit quantizer. The simulation results show that the excitation/compression scheme can be implemented as a Dolph–Chebyshev filter including amplitude tapering of the chirp with a Lanczos window. An example of such an optimized system is given where the chirp bandwidth is chosen to be 2.5 times the transducer bandwidth and equals 6 MHz: The sidelobes are suppressed to −80 dB, for a central frequency of 4 MHz, and to −94 dB, for a central frequency of 8 MHz. The corresponding improvement of the SNR is 18 and 21 dB, respectively, when compared to a conventional short pulse imaging system. Simulation of B-mode images demonstrates the advantage of coded excitation systems of detecting regions with low contrast.     

Characterization and analysis of coded excitation ultrasound parameters for rock properties

Coded excitation technology(CET) can effectively enhance the penetration and resolution of ultrasonic testing.To analyze the influence of rock properties on pulse compression performance(PCP) of coded excitation signals(CES),a numerical simulation,and an ultrasonic experiment on different rock samples are performed;and the detection ability of several CESs are also investigated and compared.The results of experiments showed that the loss of the signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) of Barker coded signal with tapered linear frequency modulated carrier(BTLFM) is always less than Barker coded signal with sine carrier(BS),while the resolution loss of BTLFM is lower than tapered linear frequency modulated signal(TLFM).In sum,the results not only verifiy the effectiveness of CET,but also provide a basis for the parameter settings of coded signals used in rock ultrasonic testing.     

The use of phase codes in ultrasound imaging: SNR gain and bandwidth requirements

Most of the literature on coded excitation describes the signal-to-noise ratio gain of a coded waveform in terms of the time-bandwidth product. We have shown that in the context of ultrasound imaging, the expression for the SNR gain provided by matched filtering a coded waveform, can be reduced to the total number of chips in the transmit signal. Hence, the SNR gain is independent of both the bandwidth and the duration of a single-chip. This concept is described in detail, clarifying this seeming contradiction. The impact of bandwidth and pulse duration on the SNR, SNR gain and axial resolution is described. Bandwidth requirements and the impact of regulatory peak-power limitations are also addressed.     

Performance improvement of magneto-acousto-electrical tomography for biological tissues with sinusoid-Barker coded excitation

By combining magnetics, acoustics and electrics, the magneto-acoustic-electrical tomography(MAET) proves to possess the capability of differentiating electrical impedance variation and thus improving the spatial resolution. However,the signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) of the collected MAET signal is still unsatisfactory for biological tissues with low-level electrical conductivity. In this study, the formula of MAET measurement with sinusoid-Barker coded excitation is derived and simplified for a planar piston transducer. Numerical simulations are conducted for a four-layered gel phantom with the 13-bit sinusoid-Barker coded excitation, and the performances of wave packet recovery with side-lobe suppression are improved by using the mismatched compression filter, which is also demonstrated by experimentally measuring a three-layered gel phantom. It is demonstrated that comparing with the single-cycle sinusoidal excitation, the amplitude of the driving signal can be reduced greatly with an SNR enhancement of 10 dB using the 13-bit sinusoid-Barker coded excitation. The amplitude and polarity of the wave packet filtered from the collected MAET signal can be used to achieve the conductivity derivative at the tissue boundary. In this study, we apply the sinusoid-Barker coded modulation method and the mismatched suppression scheme to MAET measurement to ensure the safety for biological tissues with improved SNR and spatial resolution, and suggest the potential applications in biomedical imaging.     

Properties study of LiNbO3 lateral field excited device working on thickness extension mode

This paper investigates the properties of thickness extension mode excited by lateral electric field on LiNbO3 by using the extended Christoffel-Bechmann method. It finds that the lateral field excitation coupling factor for amode (quasi-extensional mode) reaches its maximum value of 28% on X-cut LiNbO3. The characteristics of a lateral field excitation device made of X-cut LiNbO3 have been investigated and the lateral field excitation device is used for the design of a high frequency ultrasonic transducer. The time and frequency domain pulse/echo response of the LiNbO3 lateral field excitation ultrasonic transducer is analysed with the modified Krimholtz-Leedom-Matthae model and tested using traditional pulse/echo method. A LiNbO3 lateral field excitation ultrasonic transducer with the centre frequency of 33.44 MHz and the -6 dB bandwidth of 33.8% is acquired, which is in good agreement with the results of the Krimholtz-Leedom-Matthae model. Further analysis suggests that the LiNbO3 lateral field excitation device has great potential in the design of broadband high frequency ultrasonic transducers.     

长骨中振动声激发超声导波的方法

为了实现一定频段内任意低频下在长骨中激励导波信号,本文提出一种采用聚焦高频(5 MHz)超声换能器在长骨皮质骨中激发低频(150 kHz)超声导波的振动声方法.首先介绍了板状超声导波理论和双声束共聚焦法与单声束调幅法激发振动声的基本原理;进而采用三维有限元仿真方法分析振动声激发低频超声导波的基本现象,然后结合牛胫骨板离体实验,验证振动声激发低频超声导波的可行性.结果均表明,双声束共焦与单声束振动超声均可在骨板中激发低频超声导波.相关研究方法有助于提高空间域长骨中超声导波测量精度,以及在一定频段内实现任意频率激励等,对发展低频超声导波在体测量长骨皮质骨的新技术具有一定的指导意义.     

Improved scatterer size estimation using backscatter coefficient measurements with coded excitation and pulse compression

Scatterer size estimates from ultrasonic backscatter coefficient measurements have been used to differentiate diseased tissue from normal. A low echo signal-to-noise ratio (eSNR) leads to increased bias and variance in scatterer size estimates. One way to improve the eSNR is to use coded excitation (CE). The normalized backscatter coefficient was measured from three tissue-mimicking phantoms by using CE and conventional pulsing (CP) techniques. The three phantoms contained randomly spaced glass beads with median diameters of 30, 45, and 82 mum, respectively. Measurements were made with two weakly focused, single-element transducers (f(0)=5 MHz and f(0)=10 MHz). For CE, a linear frequency modulated chirp with a time bandwidth product of 40 was used and pulse compression was accomplished by the use of a Wiener filter. Preliminary results indicated that improved estimation bias versus penetration depth was obtained by using CE compared to CP. The depth of penetration, where the accuracy of scatterer diameter estimates (absolute divergence <25%) were obtained with the 10 MHz transducer, was increased up to 50% by using CE versus CP techniques. In addition, for a majority of the phantoms, the increase in eSNR from CE resulted in a modest reduction in estimate variance versus depth of penetration.