PSpice modeling of capacitive microfabricated ultrasonic transducers

Capacitive microfabricated ultrasonic transducers (cMUTs) are the newest and potentially the most promising devices to convert electrical into acoustic signals and vice-versa. These devices are based on the capacitance modulation of a microcondenser which is obtained by microfabrication onto a silicon substrate. The aim of this paper is to describe a PSpice model of the cMUT, based on an analytical distributed model previously reported (IEEE Trans. UFFC 49 (2) (2002) 159-168), which can be used to simulate the performances of a general ultrasound system, either in frequency or time domain. The PSpice model consists of a capacitor with a parallel resistor, which represent the static capacitance and the loss and bias resistances of the transducer, respectively, plus two quadrupoles (GLAPLACE) modeling the mechanical impedance of the membranes and the radiation impedance of the medium. The usefulness of a PSpice model is the possibility to simulate and optimize the cMUT transducers in transmission and reception, along with driving and receiving electronics, in a general ultrasound system. Experimental measurements on a 5 MHz cMUT operating in pulse-echo are in good agreement with model predictions.     

Fabrication and comparison of PMN-PT single crystal, PZT and PZT-based 1-3 composite ultrasonic transducers for NDE applications

This paper describes fabrication and comparison of PMN-PT single crystal, PZT, and PZT-based 1-3 composite ultrasonic transducers for NDE applications. As a front matching layer between test material (Austenite stainless steel, SUS316) and piezoelectric materials, alumina ceramics was selected. The appropriate acoustic impedance of the backing materials for each transducer was determined based on the results of KLM model simulation. Prototype ultrasonic transducers with the center frequencies of approximately 2.25 and 5 MHz for contact measurement were fabricated and compared to each other. The PMN-PT single crystal ultrasonic transducer shows considerably improved performance in sensitivity over the PZT and PZT-based 1-3 composite ultrasonic transducers.     

Detection limits for single small flaws and groups of flaws when using focussed ultrasonic transducers

The performance of ultrasonic imaging systems, using line-focussed transducers, was evaluated theoretically by employing a simple technique based on convolution. The analysis considered the response of single reflectors, which are mainly voids, and also multiple reflectors located both on a single plane and on multiple planes, which represent a porous layer or bond-line. The limits of detection for each of the above cases, in the presence of different levels of acoustic noise in the object under test were also calculated. The results presented are expressed as a function of a dimensionless flaw size, incorporating the ultrasonic frequency and beam F-number. The results can be used to identify the best match between ultrasonic equipment and a specific imaging problem. They can also serve to guide decisions regarding the most suitable detection method for use with the chosen equipment. If the inspection is properly designed, surprisingly small flaws could be reliably detected — even in objects where significant levels of incoherent acoustic noise are found. The method and results presented in this paper for line-focussed transducers fit qualitatively the case of spherically focussed transducers. The method is highly versatile and it can be extended to cover a range of problems, outside the scope of this paper, including, quantitatively, that of the spherically focussed transducer by employing a formulation which uses more computer time and memory.     

Characterization of ultrasonic transducers using cholesteric liquid crystals

This paper relates to two methods for the characterization of ultrasonic transducers by means of a visualization technique which exploits the thermotropic properties of cholesteric liquid crystals. Examples illustrating these methods are used to demonstrate the validity of the results obtained whilst maintaining the advantages of a simple and economic technique.     

Characterization of cylindrical ultrasonic transducers using acoustic holography

We present the results of studying the vibrational velocity distribution over the surface of cylindrical ultrasound transducers by acoustic holography. We describe two approaches for acoustic holography: the spatial spectrum method and the Rayleigh integral method. In the case of cylindrical sources the spectral method has a specific feature in comparison to the case of quasi-plane sources: small-scale spectrum components having the form of evanescent (nonpropagating) waves near the source, turn into propagating waves at a certain distance from the source. The use of such a mixed type of waves makes it possible to increase the holographic resolution. To conduct holography of cylindrical sources by the Rayleigh integral method, a modification consisting in the superimposing of boundaries on the integration region is proposed. We present the results of numerical simulation and physical experiments on holography of small cylindrical piezoelectric transducers. We demonstrate that the proposed methods of holography make it possible to recover the vibration structure of source surfaces up to order of the wavelength scales.     

利用数字全息干涉术观察RuO2:LiNbO3晶体中畴反转的区域特性

利用马赫-曾德尔干涉光路和4f光学透镜系统,以部分畴反转的掺钌铌酸锂晶体(RuO2:LiNbO3)的透射光作为物光来记录全息图,并在数值再现过程对其进行频域滤波以实现物场波前信息的数值重建,检测出在一定电压作用下晶体内部折射率变化的二维分布.检测结果证实:晶体中发生畴反转的区域与发生电色效应的区域严格相符.数字全息干涉术非接触、无干扰、无破坏的优势在准实时监控、检测和分析铌酸锂晶体畴反转方面有很好的应用前景.     

One-beam recording in a LiNbO3 crystal

We propose a new way to record images in a photorefractive LiNbO3 crystal. This method involves only a single object light without any reference light. We believe that the recording is attained by fanning holograms that result from interference between the object light and its scattered light. Although volume gratings are involved, the recorded pattern can be viewed not only with a laser light beam that is incident over a certain angular range but also with white light.     

Domain inversion in LiNbO3 and Zn-doped LiNbO3 crystals by the electron-beam irradiation of the nonpolar Y-surface

Individual domains and domain gratings were fabricated on nonpolar Y-cuts of LiNbO₃ and LiNbO₃-Zn crystals by electron beam irradiation. The domains which nucleated in the irradiation points are frontally growing along the direction +Z within a thin (of about several microns) surface layer. The regularities of this motion are discussed in the framework of the approach to formation of space-charge fields under e-beam charging of insulators. The obtained dependency of the domain length on the exposure time permits us to propose the viscous-friction mechanism for the observed frontal domain growth. The velocity of the frontal growth in LiNbO₃-Zn is higher than in LiNbO₃ obviously due to a decreased number of pinning centers at the Nb-antisites. In LiNbO₃-4 %Zn crystals planar domain gratings were fabricated by means of point-to-point irradiations along the X- and Z-directions with specified distances between the irradiation points. It is shown that the domain gratings are generated by a total field of point charges $ \vec{E} = \sum\nolimits_{i = 1}^{n} {\vec{E}_{i} } $ , where E _i is the space-charge field induced in any irradiation point, and n is the number of points. Some preliminary estimates indicate that the frontal growth of domains under e-beam irradiation occurs at fields E < E _c.     

Near-field characteristics of the parametric loudspeaker using ultrasonic transducers

A parametric speaker is a device for generating and focusing highly directional sound beams. It is essentially a by-product that comes with the nonlinearity of ultrasound. It is noteworthy that this directional beam was controlled and utilized mostly for far-field applications in the past. We empirically study the directivity and attenuation characteristics of the parametric loudspeaker in the near-field where we desire to use it. Physical parameters for experiments are imported from a theoretical model based on the far-field approximation. The findings are that increases in aperture size and modulation frequency cause higher directivity, but have more than twice the beamwidth of the far-field approximation. The attenuation also does not obey the inverse-square law which describes far-field spreading from acoustic sources. The results conclusively explain a series of formation and attenuation of the virtual sound sources and define limitations of use in the near-field.     

Optimization of ultrasonic transducers

The so-called KLM-model for ultrasonic transducers is employed to optimize transducer design. Some new performance characteristics are defined which change monotonically with design parameters. These characteristics are based on the area of the envelope of the echo waveform produced by the transducer and of the corresponding amplitude spectrum. The efficiency of the transducer is defined by the round trip energy factor. The performance characteristics are used in a composite performance measure, which is then employed as a criterion in the optimization procedure. Two transducers are investigated: for medical imaging purposes and for spectral analysis of clinical echograms. The influence of electrical matching, backing impedance, matching layer impedance, bond line thickness and series induction on the optimized transducers is investigated.     

二维LiNbO3非线性光子晶体

制备了周期为13.64 μm方形格子二维周期性极化的LiNbO3,利用二阶准相位匹配实现了波长为1.064μm二倍频,二次谐波的内部转换效率高达42%.测量了二次谐波输出功率随晶体温度及入射光入射方向的变化,实验值与模拟计算一致.制备二阶准相位匹配掩模板,解决了在制备一阶准相位匹配掩模板中遇到周期尺寸太小、数据量大的难题,同时还降低了因周期太小造成的极化难度.     

Photoelectron-spectroscopy investigation and electronic properties of LiNbO3 crystal surfaces

The electronic properties of Ar-ion and electron bombarded single-crystal surfaces of LiNbO₃ have been investigated at room temperature by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and x-ray excited photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In crystals reduced in this way, the loss of oxygen is accompanied with a loss of lithium and the creation of Nb⁴⁺ and Nb³⁺ ions. The relative concentrations of the various defects have been determined from their corresponding XPS core line spectra. When surface defects are produced an emission in the region of the bulk band gap appears. This gap emission is identified as arising from Nb 4d electrons due to the reduction of Nb⁵⁺ ions to Nb⁴⁺ and Nb³⁺ ions. The different behaviour of the gap emission upon surface treatment in the UPS and the XPS spectra is discussed.     

Optical holographic memory using angular-rotationally phase-coded multiplexing in a LiNbO3:Fe crystal

We propose a new holographic memory scheme based on random-phase-coded multiplexing in a photorefractive LiNbO₃:Fe crystal. Experimental results show that rotating a diffuser placed as a random-phase modulator in the path of the reference beam provides a simple yet effective method of increasing the holographic storage capabilities of the crystal. Combining this rotational multiplexing with angular multiplexing offers further data-storage possibilities. The advantage of using post-image versus pre-image phase modulation of the object beam is demonstrated. Received: 15 August 2000 / Published online: 10 January 2001     

Maximum a posteriori deconvolution of ultrasonic signals using multiple transducers

A new method for deconvolution of ultrasonic pulse-echo measurements employing multiple-transducer setup is proposed in the paper. An optimal way of estimating the material reflection sequence for a linear signal generation model using maximum a posteriori estimation is proposed. The method combines the measurements from a number of transducers covering different frequency bands yielding an optimal estimate of the reflection sequence. The main idea of this approach is to complement the information unavailable from one transducer in some frequency bands with the information from the other transducers. The method is based on the assumption that the measurements are performed using transducers with identical apertures and apodization, which are located exactly at the same position relative to the test object during the measurement. An error analysis presented in the paper proves that when the above assumptions are fulfilled, the proposed method, by utilizing more data for estimation, consistently yields more accurate reflection sequence estimates than the classical Wiener filter. Experimental evidence is presented using both simulated and real ultrasonic data as a verification of the correctness of the multiple-transducer model and the estimation scheme. An illustration of the advantages of the method is also given using real ultrasonic data.     

Nonlinear Talbot self-healing in periodically poled LiNbO3 crystal

The nonlinear Talbot effect is a near-field nonlinear diffraction phenomenon in which the self-imaging of periodic objects is formed by the second harmonics of ...     

Model-based optimization of ultrasonic transducers

Numerical simulation and automated optimization of Langevin-type ultrasonic transducers are investigated. These kind of transducers are standard components in various applications of high-power ultrasonics such as ultrasonic cleaning and chemical processing. Vibration of the transducer is simulated numerically by standard finite element method and the dimensions and shape parameters of a transducer are optimized with respect to different criteria. The novelty value of this work is the combination of the simulation model and the optimization problem by efficient automatic differentiation techniques. The capabilities of this approach are demonstrated with practical test cases in which various aspects of the operation of a transducer are improved.     

多分量超声波换能器及其应用

为提高超声无损检测的精度的可靠性，本文研究了几种多分量超声波换能器，即二分量换能器和三分量换能器，分析和探讨了它们在声发射检测以及超声法应力测试中的应用。     

Birefraction of the LiNbO3 crystal in the infrared band

We proposed a spectrum method to determine birefraction of the sample. When the infrared incident light transmits in the birefraction direction of the cube crystal, because of the birefraction of the sample, the transmit spectrum appears interference fringes. The equation Δn = 1/[D(dυ/dm)] shows the relationship between the birefraction and the wave-number, with the interference-number of crystals in the infrared band at room temperature. Via the infrared transmitting along the x-axis of cube lithium niobate crystal, the interference fringes were found. By the fitted polynomial method, the relationship of the birefraction and the wave-number or wavelength of the lithium niobate crystal be educed, which is, Δn = 0.4149 ? 9.00174 × 10^?5υ + 5.64347 × 10^?9υ²,or n = 0.05366 ? 5.20334 × 10^?5λ + 3.99694 × 10^?8λ².     

Guided-wave second-harmonic generation in a LiNbO3 nonlinear photonic crystal

We demonstrate twin-beam second-harmonic generation from telecommunications wavelengths in an optimized buried reverse proton exchanged planar waveguide made in 2D hexagonally poled LiNbO3. Experiments carried out with a nanosecond narrow-bandwidth, high-power fiber source thoroughly explored the response of the nonlinear photonic crystal device in terms of its power, wavelength, and angle tunability.     

Tunable rectangular array illuminator in periodically poled LiNbO3 crystal

An electro-optic tunable rectangular array illuminator in one-dimensional periodically poled LiNbO3 (PPLN) crystal is presented experimentally which result is in good agreement with results from simulation. The illuminator is formed based on the Talbot self-imaging effect by applying an electric field on PPLN. The intensity distribution of rectangular array could be precisely modulated. Compared with other array illuminators, this tunable illuminator uses a lower voltage and could get a more concentrated intensity distribution. The influence of the incident angle to the self-imaging patterns is studied for the first time.