Measurement of acoustic dispersion using both transmitted and reflected pulses

Traditional broadband transmission method for measuring acoustic dispersion requires the measurements of the sound speed in water, the thickness of the specimen, and the phase spectra of two transmitted ultrasound pulses. When the sound speed in the specimen is significantly different from that in water, the overall uncertainty of the dispersion measurement is generally dominated by the uncertainty of the thickness measurement. In this paper, a new water immersion method for measuring dispersion is proposed which eliminates the need for thickness measurement and the associated uncertainty. In addition to recording the two transmitted pulses, the new method requires recording two reflected pulses, one from the front surface and one from the back surface of the specimen. The phase velocity as well as the thickness of the specimen can be determined from the phase spectra of the four pulses. Theoretical analysis and experimental results from three specimens demonstrate the advantages of this new method.     

Simultaneous determination of the ultrasound velocity and the thickness of solid plates from the analysis of thickness resonances using air-coupled ultrasound

A method that combines transmission of air-coupled ultrasound pulses through solid plates and amplitude and phase spectral analysis is presented. In particular, the method analyzes the first thickness resonance of the plates. The purpose is to determine, simultaneously, velocity and attenuation coefficient of the ultrasounds in the material and the thickness of the plate. This is especially useful when thickness can not be measured independently. The method is successfully applied to soft membranes, biological samples and FRP composites.     

基于反射和透射光谱的氢化非晶硅薄膜厚度及光学常量计算

采用紫外-可见透射光谱仪测量了对靶磁控溅射沉积法制备的氢化非晶硅（a-Si:H）薄膜的透射光谱和反射光谱.利用T/(1-R)方法来确定薄膜的吸收系数,进而得到薄膜的消光系数|通过拟合薄膜透射光谱干涉极大值和极小值的包络线来确定薄膜折射率和厚度的初始值,并利用干涉极值公式进一步优化薄膜的厚度值和折射率|利用柯西公式对得到的薄膜折射率进行拟合,给出了a-Si:H薄膜的色散关系曲线.为了验证该方法确定的薄膜厚度和光学常量的可靠性,将理论计算得到的透射光谱与实验数据进行了比较,结果显示两条曲线基本重合,可见这是确定a-Si:H薄膜厚度及光学常量的一种有效方法.     

Estimation of ultrasound attenuation and dispersion using short time Fourier transform

Determination of the acoustic attenuation and dispersion has important applications in ultrasound tissue characterization and non-destructive material testing. Current signal processing methods Fourier transform of ultrasound signals to get the spectra of amplitude and phase to estimate respectively the attenuation and dispersion of a given medium. These methods are frequency domain method and obsessed with ambiguity issue in the phase unwrapping calculation. Conventional ultrasound velocity measuring method detects the time of arrival of a pulse (or echo) signal, which is a time domain method to compute group velocity (not phase velocity). This paper presents a novel approach based on the short time Fourier transform (STFT)--a time-frequency analysis, to estimate the ultrasonic dispersion and attenuation. Only the amplitude information of the pulse-signal spectra is used. Based on the time-frequency presentation, the attenuation coefficient of the signal is obtained by computing the amplitude decay of pulse spectrum in time domain, while phase velocities are obtained based on the "time-of-flight" (TOF) of the mono frequency component of the pulse signals. As a result, we eliminate the ambiguity issue in phase angle calculation. Furthermore, the proposed method makes the phase velocity pedagogically intuitive for novice users. The paper presents experiments to evaluate demonstrate the performance of the proposed method.     

The dependence of time-domain speed-of-sound measurements on center frequency, bandwidth, and transit-time marker in human calcaneus in vitro

Time-domain speed-of-sound (SOS) measurements in calcaneus are effective predictors of osteoporotic fracture risk. High attenuation and dispersion in bone, however, produce severe distortion of transmitted pulses that leads to ambiguity of time-domain SOS measurements. An equation to predict the effects of system parameters (center frequency and bandwidth), algorithm parameters (pulse arrival-time marker), and bone properties (attenuation coefficient and thickness) on time-domain SOS estimates is derived for media with attenuation that varies linearly with frequency. The equation is validated using data from a bone-mimicking phantom and from 30 human calcaneus samples in vitro. The data suggest that the effects of dispersion are small compared with the effects of frequency-dependent attenuation. The equation can be used to retroactively compensate data. System-related variations in SOS are shown to decrease as the pulse-arrival-time marker is moved toward the pulse center. Therefore, compared with other time-domain measures of SOS, group velocity exhibits the minimum system dependence.     

一种基于简正波模态频散的远距离宽带海底参数反演方法

在浅海环境中, 海底环境参数对声传播有着重要的影响. 由于利用单个宽带声源进行海底参数反演时, 随着距离的增大, 误差变大, 本文提出利用warping变换对在浅海波导中传播的, 不同距离上的两个宽带爆炸声源进行简正波的有效分离, 实现了宽带爆炸声源的远距离海底参数反演. 采用全局寻优遗传算法对提取出的模态频散到达时间差与理论计算的模态频散到达时间差进行匹配处理, 并结合随距离连续变化的声传播损失, 实现了利用单水听器进行海底参数的反演. 实验结果表明: 运用反演出的海底参数提取模态频散时间差和实测数据提取出的模态频散时间差吻合得较好; 而通过传播损失反演得到的海底衰减系数与频率呈指数关系. 最后, 对反演结果进行了后验概率分析, 并将本组爆炸声源的反演结果用于另一组不同距离上爆炸声源时仍然有效, 来评价反演结果的有效性.     

warping变换提取单模态反演海底衰减系数

为了获得浅海海底地声模型参数,利用warping变换方法分离出单模态简正波.对于接收深度固定、定深爆炸声源情况,以简正波理论为基础定义了距离归一化的简正波传播损失,并且其随传播的距离呈线性关系,故可通过此变化规律得到声压值实部的衰减因子,进而可求得海底地声模型参数:海底衰减系数.为验证此方法的有效性,仿真了warping变换提取单模态简正波的过程,同时将warping变换提取的单模态简正波与数值计算的结果进行比较验证;并针对某次黄海试验数据进行了处理,得到在150—550 Hz频带范围内海底衰减随频率的变化规律为α=0.581f_k~(1.86)(dB/m).通过与其他学者在相同海域试验结果的对比验证,变化规律基本相同.此外不同模态间反演相同频点的衰减系数接近也较好地支撑了结果.     

用Kramers-Kronig关系求出反射镜的相位色散

光学元件相位色散在超短光脉冲的产生和传播中起着重要的作用,本文提出运用Kramers-Kronig关系,从反射谱直接求出反射镜的相位色散.文中对此法作了分析并以多层介质膜和铝膜反射镜为例子进行了讨论.     

Characterization of sub-6-fs optical pulses with spectral phase interferometry for direct electric-field reconstruction

We demonstrate spectral phase interferometry for direct electric-field reconstruction (SPIDER) as a novel method to characterize sub-6-fs pulses with nanojoule pulse energy. SPIDER reconstructs pulse phase and amplitude from a measurement of only two optical spectra by use of a fast noniterative algorithm. SPIDER is well suited to the measurement of ultrabroadband pulses because it is quite insensitive to crystal phase-matching bandwidth and to unknown detector spectral responsivity. Moreover, it combines highly accurate pulse-shape measurement with the potential for online laser system diagnostics at video refresh rates.     

非均匀光纤中暗孤子传输特性研究

由于变系数非线性Schrödinger方程的增益、色散和非线性项都是变化的, 根据方程这一特点可以研究光脉冲在非均匀光纤中的传输特性. 本文利用Hirota方法, 得到非线性Schrödinger方程的解析暗孤子解. 然后根据暗孤子解对暗孤子的传输特性进行讨论, 并且分析各个物理参量对暗孤子传输的影响. 经研究发现, 通过调节光纤的损耗、色散和非线性效应都能有效的控制暗孤子的传输, 从而提高非均匀光纤中的光脉冲传输质量. 此外, 本文还得到了所求解方程的解析双暗孤子解, 最后对两个暗孤子相互作用进行了探讨. 本文得到的结论有利于研究非均匀光纤中的孤子控制技术.     

Determination of the parameters of a linear-viscoelastic thin layer using the normally-incident ultrasonic waves

This paper proposes a method of simultaneous determination of the four layer parameters (mass density,longitudinal velocity,the thickness and attenuation) of an immersed linear-viscoelastic thin layer by using the normally-incident reflected and transmitted ultrasonic waves.The analytical formula of the layer thickness related to the measured transmitted transfer functions is derived.The two determination steps of the four layer parameters are developed,in which acoustic impedance,time-of-flight and attenuation are first determined by the reflected transfer functions.Using the derived formula,it successively calculates and determines the layer thickness,longitudinal velocity and mass density by the measured transmitted transfer functions.According to the two determination steps,a more feasible and simplified measurement setups is described.It is found that only three signals (the reference waves,the reflected and transmitted waves) need to be recorded in the whole measurement for the determination of the four layer parameters.A study of the stability of the determination method against the experimental noises and the error analysis of the four layer parameters are made.This study lays the theoretical foundation of the practical measurement of a linear-viscoelastic thin layer.     

Simultaneous measurement of sound velocity and wall thickness of a tube.

A method for simultaneously measuring the sound propagation velocity and the thickness of each wall on the opposite sides of a tube is presented. The method uses a pair of ultrasound transducers to produce two reflected pulses from the outer and inner surfaces of the tube wall on the each side, and two transmitted pulses, one with and one without the tube sample between the two transducers. Using the time-domain analysis, sound velocity and wall thickness of the tube are determined from the time delays between the three pairs of ultrasound pulses, whereas using the frequency-domain analysis, phase velocity, group velocity, and wall thickness of the tube are determined from the phase differences between the three pairs of ultrasound pulses. Results of measurements on five tube samples are reported.     

光子晶体中缺陷的色散导致的群速度降低

利用传输矩阵方法计算了包含色散媒质缺陷的一维光子晶体的复透射系数，其中色散媒质用洛仑兹振子模型描述。计算了由复透射系数定义的等效复折射率并由此研究了频谱位于缺陷模频率附近的光脉冲的群速度。结果发现，由于缺陷模附近的透射谱敏感地依赖于缺陷层的光学厚度，而缺陷层的色散使缺陷层光学厚度随频率变化而改变，从而使包含缺陷的光子晶体的等效色散性质明显地依赖于缺陷的色散行为。由于光脉冲是由多种频率成分的单色场迭加构成的，透射脉冲由各单色场透射后重新迭加构成，因此波包的传播由介质的等效色散性质决定。与包含无色散缺陷的光子晶体相比，缺陷的色散可导致极慢的群速度。通过改变振子强度，群速度可从极慢光速转变为超光速(superluminal)。     

Measurement of pulse amplitude and phase using cross-phase modulation in microstructure fiber

Cross-phase modulation in a highly nonlinear microstructure optical fiber with low dispersion and high birefringence is used for the measurement of the pulse amplitude and phase of picosecond pulses by frequency-resolved optical gating. An alignment-free configuration including an optical amplifier is proposed and experimentally tested. The simulated annealing method is used for retrieving the amplitude and phase from cross-phase modulation spectrograms. It takes into account the birefringence of the measurement fiber and the resolution of the optical spectrum analyzer.     

Femtosecond phase spectroscopy of multi-level systems: Phthalocyanines

A femtosecond frequency-domain interferometer is applied to metal-free and vanadyl phthalocyanine (H₂Pc and VOPc) thin films to measure time-resolved difference phase and transmission spectra simultaneously. For both samples, the phase-change dynamics is different from the transmission-change dynamics at 620 nm, reflecting that the phthalocyanines (Pc) cannot be modeled with a two-level system but by a multi-level or inhomogeneously broadened system, in which each level pair exhibits different relaxation dynamics. Because of this dynamical difference, a phase-change measurement is required to correct distortion of the transient spectra due to induced phase modulation of probe pulses. Near zero time delay, the phase and transmission changes show different growth behavior. This behavior is explained by antisymmetric amplitude and phase gratings which are produced by coherent coupling between frequency-chirped pump and probe pulses. Formerly V. S. Williams     

具有高阶耦合色散系数三芯光纤耦合器非线性光开关特性的研究

利用两种方法研究了高速光脉冲在具有交叉相位调制的等边三角形排列结构的非线性三芯光纤耦合器中传输和开关特性.首先利用变分原理得到三纤芯中传输转移系数随距离变化的方程,然后利用分裂步长傅里叶方法求得了光脉冲的数值解.变分法和数值模拟的结果表明：当一阶模间色散系数较小时,光脉冲仍能在三芯之间周期性耦合传输,并且表现出良好的开关特性,但是随着一阶模间色散系数的增大,脉冲耦合传输的周期性和陡峭的开关特性都遭到破坏,光脉冲在传输中发生分裂;二阶耦合色散系数和初始啁啾都能使光脉冲传输时的耦合长度变短、光脉冲在三纤芯之间 关键词： 三芯光纤耦合器 模间色散系数 耦合长度 开关阈值功率     

Ultrasonic interferometry for the measurement of shear velocity and attenuation in viscoelastic solids

A method for the measurement of the shear properties of solid viscoelastic materials is presented. The viscoelastic material is cut into a cylindrical sample which is clamped between two rods. The transmission and reflection coefficient spectra of the fundamental torsional mode through the sample are measured by means of two pairs of piezoelectric transducers placed at the free ends of the rod-sample-rod system. Such spectra exhibit maxima and minima which occur approximately at the resonance frequencies of the free viscoelastic cylinder. Therefore, the shear velocity can be obtained by measuring the frequency interval between two consecutive maxima or minima. The shear attenuation is derived by best fitting the analytical expression of the reflection and transmission coefficients to the experimental spectra. The test is very quick to set up as the sample is simply clamped between the two rods.     

气泡数密度对尾流光束衰减测量的影响

为准确地测量出尾流气泡群的衰减,提高前向光尾流探测的可靠性,研究了气泡数密度对尾流光束衰减测量的影响.基于辐射传输方程的小角度近似解,得到了探测截面上的约化功率和漫射功率的表达式.根据测量条件,引入了有尾流气泡和无尾流气泡时探测截面上接收到的辐射功率之比作为透射函数,并进一步引进了复散射校正因子,它表征了复散射效应的强弱.针对典型的尾流气泡分布,通过数值计算得到了不同测量条件下气泡数密度与复散射校正因子、透射函数的关系.数值计算结果表明：复散射校正因子都随气泡数密度的增大单调的增大,透射函数都随气泡数密度的增大单调的减小;测量条件不同,气泡数密度对光束衰减的影响也不同.研究结果表明,给定测量条件和透射比时,利用小角度辐射方程可以得到气泡群数密度的量化信息.     

Ultrasonic wave fluctuations through tissue: an experimental pilot study

The fundamental role of the assumption of plane wave ultrasonic propagation in attenuation and scattering measurements on soft tissues is discussed. The evidence for and against the validity of the assumption is shown to be inconclusive. An experimental procedure for direct assessment, by measurement of the ultrasonic amplitude and phase fluctuations occurring after an interrogating plane wave has passed through a tissue specimen, is described. The phase measurements impose significant demands on the mechanical precision, temperature stability and electronic timing capabilities of the measurement system. Measurements are reported on two specimens of fresh beef liver. One exhibited significant fluctuations of amplitude and phase which were reduced by 50% when the effects of thickness variations in the specimen were removed. The other specimen exhibited relatively small fluctuations. The feasibility of making such measurements has been demonstrated and the detailed features of the experimental procedure-which requires considerable care-have been outlined. Although more measurements are needed for definitive conclusions, these will require the development of a reliable technique for determining the presence of gaseous microbubbles in tissue in vitro. The preliminary conclusion that some samples of liver may exhibit low levels of wavefront disruption is consistent with recent evidence in the literature.     

Transmission spectra and x-ray attenuation coefficients of alkali-halide crystals

It is shown that the spectrum of x-rays is altered by transmission through matter. The mean quantum energy is increased by removal of the soft component. It is possible to use the narrow-beam attenuation coefficient as an integral characteristic of the radiation instead of spectra. This coefficient as a function of absorber thickness decreases as the thickness increases, the measured rate of decrease being proportional to the rate of increase in the mean energy calculated from spectra recorded with a scintillation counter. The broad-beam attenuation coefficient increases with the thickness of the absorber because such a beam accumulates secondary radiation more rapidly than it loses primary radiation. Hence the mean energy may decrease as the thickness increases.We are indebted to Professor A. A. Vorob'ev for proposing the topic and for direction in the work.