Bipolar-power-transistor-based limiter for high frequency ultrasound imaging systems

High performance limiters are described in this paper for applications in high frequency ultrasound imaging systems. Limiters protect the ultrasound receiver from the high voltage (HV) spikes produced by the transmitter. We present a new bipolar power transistor (BPT) configuration and compare its design and performance to a diode limiter used in traditional ultrasound research and one commercially available limiter. Limiter performance depends greatly on the insertion loss (IL), total harmonic distortion (THD) and response time (RT), each of which will be evaluated in all the limiters. The results indicated that, compared with commercial limiter, BPT-based limiter had less IL (−7.7 dB), THD (−74.6 dB) and lower RT (43 ns) at 100 MHz. To evaluate the capability of these limiters, they were connected to a 100 MHz single element transducer and a two-way pulse-echo test was performed. It was found that the −6 dB bandwidth and sensitivity of the transducer using BPT-based limiter were better than those of the commercial limiter by 22% and 140%, respectively. Compared to the commercial limiter, BPT-based limiter is shown to be capable of minimizing signal attenuation, RT and THD at high frequencies and is thus suited for high frequency ultrasound applications.     

Sputtered ZnO film on aluminium foils for flexible ultrasonic transducers

Nanocrystalline ZnO films with both C-axis vertical grown and inclined angled grown were sputter-deposited onto aluminium foils (50 μm thick) and characterised for using as flexible ultrasonic transducers. As-deposited C-axis grown ZnO films were annealed at different temperatures up to 600 °C to enhance film crystallinity and reduce film stress. The C-axis grown ZnO film on the Al foil were bonded onto steel plates, and the pulse-echo tests verified a good performance (with dominant longitudinal waves) of the ultrasonic transducers made from both as-deposited and post-annealed films. Inclined angled ZnO films on the Al foil glued onto steel plates generated mixed shear and longitudinal waves in the pulse-echo test.     

Waveguide tapering for beam-width control in a waveguide transducer

In a waveguide transducer that transmits an ultrasonic wave through a waveguide unit to a test structure, it is most preferred to send a non-dispersive ultrasonic wave of a narrow beam width. However, there is an unresolved conflict between the generation of the non- or less-dispersive wave and the transmission of a narrow-beam wave into a test structure. Among others, the thickness of the waveguide unit in a waveguide transducer is the key variable determining these two conflicting criteria, but the use of a uniformly-thick waveguide of any thickness cannot fulfill the two conflicting criteria simultaneously. In this study, we propose a specially-engineered tapered waveguide unit for the simultaneous satisfaction. An excitation unit is installed at the end of the thin region of the tapered waveguide and generates only the lowest non-dispersive shear-horizontal wave. Then the generated wave propagates through the tapered region of the waveguide unit and reaches the thick region of the waveguide with insignificant mode conversion to higher modes. If the tapered waveguide is used, the surviving lowest mode in the thick region of the waveguide is shown to carry most of the transmitted power and is finally propagated into a test structure. Because the beam size of the propagated wave and the thickness of the contacting waveguide region are inversely related, the thick contacting region of the tapered waveguide ensures narrow beam width. Numerical and experimental investigations were performed to check the effectiveness of the proposed waveguide-tapering approach.     

Effect of trabecular bone material properties on ultrasonic backscattering signals

In this study, ultrasonic backscattering signals in cancellous bones were obtained by finite difference time domain （FDTD） simulations, and the effect of trabecular material properties on these signals was analyzed. The backscatter coefficient （BSC） and integrated backscatter coefficient （IBC） were numerically investigated for varying trabecular bone material properties, including density, Lame coefficients, viscosities, and resistance coefficients. The results show that the BSC is a complex function of trabecular bone density, and the IBC increases as density increases. The BSC and IBC increase with the first and second Lame coefficients. While not very sensitive to the second viscosity of the trabeculae, the BSC and IBC decrease as the first viscosity and resistance coefficients increase. The results demonstrate that, in addition to bone mineral density （BMD） and microarchitecture, trabecular material properties significantly influence ultrasonic backseattering signals in cancellous bones. This research furthers the understanding of ultrasonic backscattering in cancellous bones and the characterization of cancellous bone status.     

Three-dimensional vibration of a buckled elastica supported by spherical hinges

In this paper we study the effect of extensibility on the vibration characteristics of a spatial buckled rod (elastica) under edge thrust and supported by spherical hinges at the ends. The nonlinear equations of motion are written within the framework of director theory. The elastica in question admits only plane deformations. There are three types of vibration modes, in-plane, symmetric out-of-plane, and anti-symmetric (twisting) out-of-plane. Most of the natural frequencies decrease as the end shortening increases, except the first in-plane mode without a nodal point. This mode is inadmissible in an inextensible elastica. This may be considered a flaw in the inextensible elastica model when dynamic behavior is concerned. In the limit case when the static deformation is small, a small-deformation theory taking into account axial extensibility is formulated and compared with the elastica model. The natural frequency of the first in-plane mode derived from small-deformation theory agrees very well with the one calculated from the extensible elastica model in the post-buckling range. However, all others are found to be independent of end shortening. This obviously unreasonable result is due to the limitation of small-deformation theory.     

Motion of a spherical particle in a fluid forced vortex by DO M and DTM

In this study, coupled equations of the motion of a particle in a fluid forced vortex were investigated using the differential transformation method （DTM） with the Pad6 approximation and the differential quadrature method （DO_M）. The significant contribution of the work is the introduction of two new, fast and efficient solutions for a spherical particle in a forced vortex that are improvements over the previous numerical results in the literature. These methods represent approximations with a high degree of accuracy and minimal computational effort for studying the particle motion in a fluid forced vortex. In addition, the velocity profiles （angular and radial） and the position trajectory of a particle in a fluid forced vortex are described in the current study.     

采用球谐分解的二范数广义逆波束形成

基于传声器阵列的声成像技术是解决噪声源识别的有效途径之一.该文提出了一种基于球谐分解的L2范数广义逆波束形成算法,并对此算法在分布式球形阵列布放方案下进行了定位精度及鲁棒性的对比分析研究.仿真结果显示,此算法对低频相干声源具有较高的空间定位精确度,且阵元位置误差对此算法性能的影响有限.通过在半消声室进行实验进一步证明了...     

面向空耦电声换能器应用的高性能FEP/PTFE复合膜压电驻极体

压电驻极体(也称为铁电驻极体)是一类具有强压电效应的微孔结构驻极体材料,具有柔韧、低密度、低特性声阻抗等特征,是制备柔性空气耦合声电换能器的理想材料.针对器件对高灵敏度和高温工作环境的应用需求,本文报道高性能氟化乙丙烯/聚四氟乙烯(FEP/PTFE)复合膜压电驻极体的制备和性能表征.研究结果表明, FEP/PTFE膜的特性声阻抗为0.02 MRayl (1 Rayl=10 Pa·s/m);在小压强范围内的准静态压电电荷系数d₃₃可高达800 pC/N,且具有良好的压强特性.基于FEP/PTFE复合膜压电驻极体的麦克风的灵敏度最高可达6.4 mV/Pa@1 kHz,远高于文献报道的相同结构的压电驻极体麦克风的灵敏度,且具有平坦的频响曲线.对于直径为20 mm的超声波发射器,当驱动电压V_p为600 V时,样品中轴线上距离器件表面100 mm处, 40—80 kHz频率范围内产生的超声波的声压级为80—90 dB (参考声压为20μPa).基于FEP/PTFE复合膜压电驻极体的声电换能器的热稳定性显著优于聚丙烯(PP)压电驻极体声电换能器:在125...     

厚度模压电超声换能器无源声学材料研究进展*

厚度模压电超声换能器作为超声波发射、接收以及电信号间转换的载体,是超声成像与检测系统的核心器件,一般由压电层、匹配层和背衬层3部分组成。超声换能器的性能一定程度上决定着整体超声设备的性能,影响了其在工业、医学、军事等领域的应用。该换能器的关键性能指标(带宽、灵敏度)除了受到压电层的影响,还与匹配层、背衬层等无源声学材料的设计密切相关。该文综述了近年来厚度模压电超声换能器无源声学材料(匹配层、背衬层和声透镜)的研究进展,提出了当前该类材料面临的难题和解决途径,并对其未来发展方向进行了展望。