改进粒子群算法的立体传声器阵列声成像系统阵形优化设计

提出改进的粒子群优化算法,获得波束方向图主瓣宽度和旁瓣级折中的优化立体阵形,避免基本实数粒子群算法仅采用旁瓣级或主瓣宽度一个性能指标优化而导致另一个性能指标恶化的问题,利用阵列视角限制进一步优化立体阵形并设计了声成像测量系统。改进的粒子群算法与基本粒子群算法仿真优化阵形比较表明改进粒子群算法设计的优化阵形在保持较窄的主瓣宽度的条件下具有较低的旁瓣级。阵列声成像测量系统的性能测量分析结果表明该系统的空间分辨率和旁瓣抑制能力与理论结果接近,验证了所提算法的有效性。      

Optimisation of sensor positions in random linear arrays based on statistical relations between geometry and performance

Due to the widespread use of acoustic arrays, optimisation techniques for array design, focused on improving array performance, have been widely published. This paper exploits the statistical relation between different measures of sidelobe levels and the spacing of elements in random linear arrays made up of a small number of sensors. This paper defines the methodology to obtain maximum probability functions, associating array geometry and performance. These maximum probability functions allow a pre-selection of those array geometries that are more likely to be associated to specified sidelobe level values. This pre-selection results in a significantly reduced computational burden.     

Optimization of point spread function in ultrasound arrays

The design of aperture weightings in ultrasound arrays is a multi-objective optimization problem, involving parameters such as delays, aperture size, focal depth, operating frequency and beam properties. Besides, apodization causes the SNR in array output to be decreased. We introduce an analytic expression of the lateral point spread function and a model for SNR as nonlinear functions of weights, based on which, a new aperture design method is established, resulting in an optimal set of weights. These weights provide a point spread function having the predetermined peak sidelobe level, while the SNR in array output is optimized. Optimization results from a linear array with M=128 elements equally spaced at one wavelength, center frequency f0=3.5 MHz and 50% relative bandwidth, have shown that decreasing the peak sidelobe level, decreases the SNR. Therefore, an array designer can select a proper set of weights according to its application, using a SNR curve versus to the peak sidelobe level. In addition, the method can maintain the same beam properties over a long range with low variations in the SNR. Simulation results have shown only 1 dB variations in the SNR for depths from 20 mm to 120 mm, which is a longer range and better SNR performance than the conventional methods.     

水下声成像中旁瓣抑制方法及其实验研究

提出了一种近场条件下采用不等间隔阵并进行孔径变迹处理的水下声成像旁瓣抑制方法,并进行了理论和实验研究。考虑以球面波传播理论为基础的聚焦波束形成,首先通过阵元位置微调,设计了可实现低旁瓣的不等间隔阵,从单程波束响应上降低旁瓣;然后,将孔径变迹处理方法应用于水下声成像中,全部阵元用于接收,部分阵元用于发射,从双程波束响应上进一步降低旁瓣。通过水池实验对所提出的方法进行了验证。结果表明:采用不等间隔阵并进行孔径变迹处理可以更为有效地降低旁瓣,而主瓣仅有小量展宽,且该方法工程应用简便易行,在改善成像质量的同时降低了系统复杂度。      

旁瓣约束下期望主瓣幅度响应迭代波束设计

研究了旁瓣约束下的期望主瓣幅度逼近问题,其包含双边绝对值不等式结构,为非凸波束设计问题。针对传统的多约束优化算法难以处理非凸结构,提出了两种迭代算法。一种对原优化问题作局域线性近似,将非凸约束转换为仿射约束,进而迭代局部二阶锥规划问题求解原问题。另一种通过引入辅助变量构建增广拉格朗日函数,将加权向量与各约束解耦合,交替迭代求解关于原变量、主瓣辅助变量与旁瓣辅助变量的三个子优化问题以给出初始非凸问题的解。针对子优化问题,通过灵活运用拉格朗日乘子技术构建了低复杂度求解方案。采用仿真和实测阵列流形验证设计效果,结果表明,所提两种迭代算法可实现主瓣幅度逼近,合成平顶波束图,且对阵型无依赖性。交替迭代法耗时显著低于迭代二阶锥规划法。      

Optimized microphone deployment for near-field acoustic holography: To be, or not to be random, that is the question

Arrays with sparse and random sensor deployment are known to be capable of delivering high quality far-field images without grating lobes. This raises the question of whether or not this idea can be applied to near-field imaging as well. To answer this question that has not yet been widely investigated in previous research, numerical simulations are undertaken in this paper to optimize the microphone deployment for both far-field and near-field arrays with the latter being the main focus. In the simulation, a recently introduced near-field equivalent source imaging (NESI) technique is employed for the near-field imaging. Global optimization techniques including the simulated annealing (SA) algorithm and the intra-block Monte Carlo (IBMC) algorithm are exploited to find the optimal microphone position efficiently. The combined use of the SA and the IBMC algorithms enables efficient search for satisfactory deployment with excellent beam pattern and relatively uniform distribution of microphones. In the near-field optimization, a special kind of beam pattern and cost function definition is used for the multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) imaging problem. As indicated by the simulation results, random deployment of microphones is necessary to avoid grating lobes in far-field imaging. In the near-field simulation, all results suggest that the optimal near-field array is the uniform rectangular array (URA) and the random deployment presents no particular benefit in near-field imaging.     

Improved beamforming using curved sparse 2D arrays in ultrasound

In this work we have investigated the effect of curving phase-steered sparse periodic two-dimensional arrays in one direction, and relate this effect to the geometry of the arrays. We have shown that curving is equivalent to removing some of the element periodicity, thus adding some “randomness” to the layout. Compared to flat phase-steered periodically sparse two-dimensional arrays, curving offers an even greater suppression of grating lobes located at directions along the curvature. The class of arrays yielding improved performance due to this suppression of grating lobes has been characterized.The point spread functions of some previously proposed array layouts, shown to be promising for ultrasonic imaging, have been simulated. The arrays have been simulated with various number of elements as well as various focal points, with array and field parameters typical to those in volumetric cardiac imaging. On a 48 × 48 element grid with a transducer center frequency of 3 MHz and the target at 40 mm, reductions in the peak sidelobe level of up to 12 dB were recorded for some critical steering directions, without significant differences in the beamwidth. The integrated sidelobe ratio was also examined, showing an almost equivalent performance as the flat array. This study shows that, without adding any complexity to the system, the overall image quality of a volumetric imaging system can be improved significantly by curving the array in one direction.     

Design of URAs by DIRECT global optimization algorithm

Coded aperture imaging (CAI) has evolved as a standard technique for imaging high-energy photon sources and has found numerous applications. Coded aperture arrays (CAAs) are the most important devices in the applications of CAI. In recent years, many approaches were presented to design optimum or near-optimum CAAs. Uniformly redundant arrays (URAs) are the most successful CAAs for their cyclic autocorrelation consisting of a sequence of delta functions on a flat sidelobe, which can easily be subtracted when the object has been reconstructed. Unfortunately, the existing methods can only be used to design URAs with limited number of array sizes and fixed autocorrelative sidelobe-to-peak ratio. In this paper, we presented a method to design more flexible URAs by means of a global optimization algorithm named DIRECT. By our approaches, we obtain various types of URAs including the filled URAs which can be constructed by existing methods and the sparse URAs which have never been constructed and mentioned by existing papers as far as we know.     

X波段低副瓣波导缝隙阵列天线特性

根据Stevenson等效电路法设计了两个X波段低副瓣波导缝隙阵列天线。通过建立多个缝隙时的谐振长度提取模型,计算了存在缝隙间互耦时的谐振长度。两个阵列天线测试结果和仿真结果吻合良好,线阵中心频率实测增益为17.83dB,其仿真结果为18.2dB,实测副瓣为-28.12dB,其仿真结果为-29.97dB;平面阵列中心频率实测增益为27dB,其仿真结果为27.9dB,实测H面副瓣为-27.2dB,其仿真结果为-29.9dB,实测E面副瓣为-22dB,其仿真结果为-22dB。     

一种加权稀疏约束稳健Capon波束形成方法

为了克服标准Capon波束形成器旁瓣级高以及存在角度失配时性能急剧下降等缺点, 在稀疏约束Capon波束形成器的基础上, 提出了一种加权稀疏约束Capon波束形成器. 该方法利用波束响应的稀疏分布特性, 在标准Capon波束形成优化模型中加入旁瓣区域波束响应稀疏约束(l₁ 范数约束), 使旁瓣区域波束响应向量中非零元素的个数最小化; 通过阵列采样数据协方差矩阵特征分解得到信号子空间及噪声子空间, 利用信号子空间与噪声子空间的正交特性, 构造加权矩阵对稀疏约束进行加权, 使得稀疏重构时波束响应向量中不同角度对应的元素得到不同程度的约束. 该方法有效地抑制了Capon波束形成器的高旁瓣级, 加深了干扰方位零陷, 提高了阵列输出信干噪比. 由于稀疏约束, 波束响应向主瓣集中, 期望信号方向附近的波束响应都较大, 从而也提高了阵列抗导向矢量角度失配的能力. 数值仿真和水池实验验证了所提方法的有效性.     

Study of Low Sidelobe Time Modulated Linear Antenna Arrays at Millimeter-Waves

In this paper, the time modulation technique for the design of low sidelobe antenna arrays is extended to millimeter-wave frequency band. Millimeter-wave rectangular waveguide is selected as the element radiators of linear antenna arrays, and the element radiation patterns are taken into account in the analysis and design of low sidelobe time modulated linear arrays. Two types of time modulation, namely, the time modulated variable aperture sizes (VAS) and unidirectional phase center motion (UPCM), are implemented in the design of low sidelobe millimeter waveguide linear arrays. It is observed that both the co-polarized and the cross-polarized components will experience the time modulation effect simultaneously. Many factors that affect the array performance are discussed.     

Millimeter-wave Low Sidelobe Time Modulated Linear Arrays with Uniform Amplitude Excitations

The study of millimeter-wave low sidelobe linear arrays with time modulation technique is presented in this paper. Special emphasis is on the realization of low sidelobes with uniform amplitude excitations, which are easier for the practical implementation. Two types of time modulated linear arrays with uniform amplitude excitations, namely, the variable aperture size (VAS) linear arrays with optimized time sequences and the linear arrays with optimized random time sequences were studied. The optimized time sequences are obtained via the differential evolution (DE) algorithm and the genetic algorithm (GA). Many factors that affect the array performance are discussed. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 60571023), the SRF for ROCS, SEM, and the innovative Research Team Program of UESTC, China.     

应用分割矩阵全局优化算法设计用于编码孔径成像的二维阵列

二维编码阵列是编码孔径成像的关键部件,它直接决定着再现的层析图像的质量。目前仍没有一种理想的二维阵列既具有较高的量子收集率,又具有良好的层析成像特性。采用一种新的方法———分割矩阵(DIRECT)全局优化算法,设计二维阵列,该算法适用于多变量“黑盒”问题的求解,并且具有比其他优化算法更快的收敛速度。其目的是设计一类自相关函数旁瓣最大值为1,同时具有最大填充率的二维编码阵列。理论分析及实验结果表明:用该算法搜索得到的二维阵列既具有较高的量子收集率,又具有良好的层析成像特性。     

Magnetic properties of amorphous heisenberg ferromagnet with random anisotropy

Magnetization, susceptibility, and the critical temperature for a spin-one amorphous Heisenberg ferromagnet with random local anisotropy are calculated in the molecular field approximation for the exchange interactions. The effects of random fluctuations of the magnitude of the local anisotropy about its crystalline value are studied for various probability distributions. It is found that for a given randomness, measured in terms of the root mean square fluctuation of the magnitude of the local anisotropy, the magnetization and the critical temperature depend more on the range, denned as the magnitude of the maximum value of the fluctuation from its mean value, than the shape of the probability distribution function. The effect of randomness decreases as the crystalline value of the anisotropy increases. Calculation of the susceptibility shows that above the critical temperature, randomness has no effect.     

光学稀疏孔径成像系统子孔径位相误差研究

阐明了光学稀疏孔径成像系统的原理,用主峰积分旁瓣比和实际截止空间频率对系统进行评价,并针对稀疏孔径系统常用的Golay6和TriArm6两种结构,进行误差分析和计算机仿真实验.结果表明,在位相差小于0.2波长时,仍可获得较好的成像观测效果;当位相差大于0.3波长时,成像效果较差.     

The Weibull-log Weibull transition of the interoccurrence time statistics in the two-dimensional Burridge-Knopoff Earthquake model

In analyzing synthetic earthquake catalogs created by a two-dimensional Burridge-Knopoff model, we have found that a probability distribution of the interoccurrence times, the time intervals between successive events, can be described clearly by the superposition of the Weibull distribution and the log-Weibull distribution. In addition, the interoccurrence time statistics depend on frictional properties and stiffness of a fault and exhibit the Weibull-log Weibull transition, which states that the distribution function changes from the log-Weibull regime to the Weibull regime when the threshold of magnitude is increased. We reinforce a new insight into this model; the model can be recognized as a mechanical model providing a framework of the Weibull-log Weibull transition.     

Wet-etch optimization of free-standing terahertz frequency-selective structures

Free-standing frequency-selective surfaces consisting of approximately 10-microm-thick copper films with cross-aperture arrays are found to be tunable toward lower frequencies by means of wet chemical etching. Center frequencies were tuned from 1.57 to 1.53 THz while maintaining high transmittance. Wet etching also adjusts bandwidth, peak transmittance, and sidelobe transmittance. The advantage of the wet-etch technique is demonstrated by employment of these devices as bandpass filters for difluoromethane-based terahertz lasers. Adjustment in aperture dimensions because of etching results in suppression of a competing laser line (133.93 microm) by 15 dB while maintaining high transmittance at the operating wavelength of 192.06 microm.     

Terahertz transmission properties of thin, subwavelength metallic hole arrays

We present experimental results of the transmission magnitude and phase change of terahertz pulses through thin metallic films patterned with subwavelength hole arrays on silicon wafers. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy measurements reveal a sharp phase peak centered on the surface plasmon resonance. Correspondingly, and consistent with the Kramers-Kronig relations, the measured transmission magnitude has the shape of the derivative of this peak. In addition, we determine that the aperture shape has a notable effect on the transmission properties of two-dimensional hole arrays.     

利用Matlab模拟布朗运动测量实验

利用matlab工具模拟了布朗运动测量的实验。通过一正态随机数产生函数模拟从而产生布朗运动步距。在假定粒子所受拖曳力满足斯托克斯关系的情况下,通过拟合多个粒子的均方位移随时间的变化曲线得到斜率,从而进一步可得出扩散系数和波尔兹曼常数。同时,根据模拟结果也对如何减小实验误差作了分析。     

Application of vernier thinning techniques to segmented annular arrays

Due to the aperture periodicity, the inter-element spacing of two-dimensional squared arrays is maintained near lambda/2 in order to avoid grating lobes. This condition gives rise to severe problems derived from the huge number of array elements and from their little size that causes the signal to noise ratio to bring down. Vernier techniques have been proposed to lower the number of active elements, but the drastic reduction of the ultrasonic energy is still a great problem for the image contrast. In this work, vernier techniques for segmented annular (SA) arrays are theoretically studied. SA arrays produce lower grating lobes than squared arrays and, therefore, allow the element size to be increased beyond the lambda/2 constraint. Using larger elements, SA arrays have advantage to squared arrays because they have larger active area and smaller thinning order for the same complexity (number of channels) of the image system. Theoretical results of the vernier techniques applied to SA arrays in both radial and tangential directions are presented and compared with the equivalent squared array.