Numerical simulation of laser-generated ultrasound in non-metallic material by the finite element method

The use of a pulsed laser for the generation of the elastic waves in non-metallic materials in the thermoelastic regime is investigated by using finite element method (FEM), taking into account not only thermal diffusion and the finite spatial and temporal shape of the laser pulse, but also optical penetration and the temperature dependence of material properties. The optimum finite element model is established based on analysis of two important parameters, meshing size and time step, and the stability of solution. Temperature distributions and temperature gradient fields in non-metallic material for different time steps are obtained, this temperature field is equivalent to a bulk force source to generate ultrasonic wave. The laser-generated ultrasound waveforms at the epicenter and surface acoustic waveforms (SAWs) are obtained and the influence of optical penetration into the material on the temperature field and the ultrasound waveforms are analyzed. The numerical results indicate that the heat penetration into non-metallic material is caused mainly by the optical penetration, and the ultrasound waveforms, especially the shape of the precursor, are strongly dependent on the optical penetration depth into non-metallic material.     

Design of thermistor probes for measurement of ultrasound intensity distributions

Thermistors coated with absorbing material provide small omnidirectional probes for measurement of ultrasound intensity distributions. They are simple and inexpensive to construct and can be made with dimensions less than 1 mm. The use of various glues, varnishes and resins for the ultrasound absorbing coating is considered. Heat is generated by shear viscosity in the neighbourhood of the boundary between the thermistor and coating material. The rate of temperature rise over the first one or two hundred milliseconds after the ultrasound is switched on is a reasonably linear function of intensity over the range used in physiotherapy.     

In-plane vibration of thin elliptic plates submitted to uniform pulsed microwave irradiations

The technique of acoustic generation by microwave excitation in structures is applied here to study the in-plane vibration of full or hollowed elliptic plates. The absorption of pulsed microwave irradiations by a material causes a sudden rise of its temperature and the generation of an acoustic wave by thermoelastic effect. A semi-analytic theoretical model is developed to predict the in-plane displacement fields in elliptic thin plates submitted to a uniform temperature rise. It is assumed that the isotropic and viscoelastic plate constitutive material is submitted to a thermoelastic excitation under a plane stress state. The wave equations that govern the Helmholtz displacement potentials are resolved in an elliptic cylindrical system of coordinates by means of infinite angular and radial Mathieu functions series. The displacement field is finally obtained by taking into account the zero stress conditions on the boundaries of the plates. The comparison between the theoretical and the experimental responses of full and hollowed elliptic plates shows a good agreement that permits the validation of the developed model.     

Increased heating by diagnostic ultrasound due to nonlinear propagation

The heating of tissues by the absorption of ultrasound is an important safety consideration in the use of diagnostic ultrasound. This paper shows that models of ultrasonic heating for this situation need to take account of nonlinear propagation. Measurements were made of the temperature rise in a sample of tissue-mimicking gel, caused by the application of 3.6-MHz focused ultrasonic beams for 3 min. The propagation path to the focus was in water, to mimic the situation where the fetus is scanned through the full bladder. The effect of nonlinear propagation was seen by changing the pressure amplitude of the pulse, while altering the pulsing regime to preserve a constant spatial-peak temporal-average intensity of 1 W cm-2. When nonlinear distortion was present, an enhancement in the temperature rise was observed, which correlated with the value of the shock parameter. The enhancement ratio was typically up to a factor of 3, and the maximum temperature rise observed was 2 degrees C. This enhanced heating was seen both at the surface of the tissue-mimicking gel and after propagation through 23 mm of the material. Under conditions of nonlinear propagation, the maximum heating usually occurs in the prefocal region, rather than at the focus.     

Analytical investigation into laser pulse heating and thermal stresses

Laser pulse heating of metallic surfaces results in rapid rise of temperature in the region irradiated by the laser beam. This in turn results in high temperature gradient in this region. The irradiated substrate material expands as a response to the temperature gradient. Consequently, high thermal stress levels are developed in the region of the high temperature gradient. In the present study, closed form solutions for temperature and stress fields due to a laser pulse decaying exponentially in time are presented. A Laplace transformation method is employed in the analysis. The resulting equations are non-dimensionalized with the appropriate parameters. It is found that temperature rises rapidly during the early heating period in the surface region. In this case, internal energy gain dominates the conduction losses from the surface vicinity. The thermal stress levels attain high values in the surface region. The stress wave developed is compressive and it propagates with a wave speed c₁ inside the substrate.     

Transient temperature rise due to ultrasound absorption at a bone/soft-tissue interface

Thermal effects due to high ultrasound absorption in bone pose an ongoing safety issue. Of considerable concern is the heating of the soft tissue adjacent to the bone surface. Mathematical models can be useful in predicting the transient temperature near the interface during insonation. This paper develops a model that provides the temperature field in terms of simple expressions that convey the functional dependence of the material properties, and are easily incorporated into standards and ultrasound machine software, yet are able to incorporate the material properties of both bone and soft tissue. The model contains an asymptotic theory based upon a "high-attenuation" assumption: the distance diffused by heat over the time of interest is large compared to the ultrasound attenuation length. Model predictions of temperature rise and location of maximum temperature were in close agreement with finite-element calculations, using parameters appropriate for radiation-force imaging and focused-ultrasound surgery.     

Ultrasound effects on miniature end plate potential discharge frequency are contingent upon acoustic environment

The effects of low level ultrasonic stimulation (250 mW cm-2; 1.5 MHz; continuous wave) on the frequency of miniature end-plate potential (MEPP) production, at the frog neuromuscular junction, have been examined in two situations. In a simple exposure environment, where the muscle was immersed in Ringer solution and stretched over a polyurethane resin base at room temperature, the ultrasound stimulus produced a marked increase in the MEPP discharge rate, with only a small concomitant rise (1.0-1.6 degrees C) in local temperature. Control temperature increases of a similar magnitude produced only small changes in the rate of MEPP production. The experiment was repeated in an environment with better defined field conditions. The muscle was suspended in a chamber sealed at the base with an acoustically transparent polycarbonate material, 0.05 mm thick, and contained in a thermostatically controlled bath lined with an acoustically absorbent material. In this situation, no increase in MEPP frequency was observed in response to ultrasonication, although the local measured temperature increase was similar in both magnitude and time course. It is suggested that these results may depend upon differences between standing wave conditions and free field progression of the beam through the sample.     

Experimental characterisation of the thermal behaviour of different materials submitted to ultrasound in an ultrasonic fountain

The purpose of this study was to characterize the thermal behaviour of different materials subjected to an ultrasonic fountain created by an ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer. Tests were conducted with an infrared camera to determine the surface temperature of the material samples. The main conclusion is that the plastics when subjected to the ultrasonic fountain tend to heat up strongly and can reach temperatures up to 200 °C in few seconds. The temperature rise depends on the nature of the plastic material and the experimental conditions namely the height of liquid above the transducer and also the distance between the liquid surface and the sample. The comparison with an aluminium plate and a Pyrex plate gives a better understanding of the phenomenon that is related to three characteristics of the experiment: the transmission of the incident wave, the ability of the material to absorb this energy as heat and finally, the thermal and thermodynamic properties. These three parameters determine the behaviour of the plate when it is subjected to the ultrasonic fountain. In order to achieve a performing active control system, the choice of the material that faces an ultrasound fountain is very important to avoid any damage.     

Analysis of laser-generated ultrasonic force source at specimen surface and display of bulk wave in transversely isotropic plate by numerical method

Taking into account the effects of thermal diffusion and optical penetration, as well as the finite width and duration of the laser source, the laser-generated ultrasonic force source at surface vicinity is presented. The full acoustic fields of laser-generated ultrasonic bulk wave are obtained and displayed in transversely isotropic plate. The features of laser-generated ultrasound bulk waves are analyzed. The features of laser-generated ultrasonic bulk wave are in good agreement with the theoretical results (the phase velocity surfaces), demonstrating the validity of this simulation. The numerical results indicate that the features of laser-generated ultrasound waveforms in anisotropic specimen, different from the case in isotropic materials, have a close relation with the propagating plane and propagation direction. This method can provide insight to the generation and propagation of laser-generated ultrasonic bulk wave in transversely isotropic material.     

激光时空分布对钢靶温度场及热软化的影响

 用有限元模型数值模拟了能量和作用时间相同而时空分布不同的连续波激光辐照下，带涂层钢靶的温度场和热软化分布。结果表明，光强空间分布不同时，靶后表面温度分布虽有不同程度的差别，但材料中部的热软化差别很小，仅热软化的范围略有改变；光强时间分布不同时，靶面温升的历史不同，但最终温度和温度分布都趋于一致。模拟分析结果与实验结果一致。     

Schlieren visualization of ultrasonic wave fields with high spatial resolution

The visualization of ultrasonic wave fields in optically transparent liquids using the acousto-optic interaction is a well proven tool for the experimental investigation of wave propagation including wave field interaction effects with certain discontinuities and obstacles like reflection, refraction, and diffraction effects as well as for transducer testing and design. For high resolution visualization of wave fields including pulsed waveforms, pulsed light sources and sensitive optical imaging sensors with certain specifications are needed. In this paper the technical requirements of optical and electronic components for high resolution visualization of ultrasound wave fields will be presented. Also, specifications and operation results of a new designed, inexpensive Schlieren optical system will be presented, which is capable of pulsed wave field visualization in the MHz frequency range. The spatial resolution is high enough, not only for accurate beam shape and wave pattern visualization, but also for a gray-scaled display of wave amplitudes including amplitude zero crossings in ultrasound pulses. Consequently, ultrasonic wavelengths can be visualized quantitatively as well as wavelength changes of the ultrasound pulses while traveling through transparent media with different sound velocities. Results to be presented will include 2 MHz and 10 MHz experiments using single transducers as well as linear arrays of commercial medical scanners during their standard operation showing the system beamforming characteristics.     

Mechanisms for saturation of nonlinear pulsed and periodic signals in focused acoustic beams

Acoustic fields of powerful ultrasound sources with Gaussian spatial apodization and initial excitation in the form of a periodic wave or single pulse are examined based on the numerical solution of the Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov equation. The influence of nonlinear effects on the spatial structure of focused beams, as well as on the limiting values of the acoustic field parameters is compared. It is demonstrated that pressure saturation in periodic fields is mainly due to the effect of nonlinear absorption at a shock front, while in pulsed fields is due to the effect of nonlinear refraction. The limiting attainable values for the peak positive pressure in periodic fields turned out to be higher than the analogous values in pulsed acoustic fields. The total energy in a beam of periodic waves decreases with the distance from the source faster than in the case of a pulsed field, but it becomes concentrated within much smaller spatial region in the vicinity of the focus. These special features of nonlinear effect manifestation provide an opportunity to use pulsed beams for more efficient delivery of wave energy to the focus and to use periodic beams for attaining higher values of pressure in the focal region.     

S波段微波热致超声成像系统研究

微波热致超声成像技术通过向物体发射微波脉冲, 导致物体吸收电磁波温度迅速升高, 产生瞬时压力波, 从而激发产生超声波信号, 通过传感器对产生的超声波信号进行采集并成像, 最终还原了反映物体吸收电磁波能量特性的图像, 由于此方法兼具了微波成像的高对比性和超声成像的高分辨率特点, 理论上验证了热声成像技术对早期乳腺肿瘤检测的可行性. 本实验兼顾系统成像深度和分辨率, 采用S波段的微波脉冲信号源对物体进行辐射, 利用圆形扫描方式对待测物体进行检测, 同时为了更好的验证成像性能, 本实验同时使用了肿瘤仿体及实际生物组织进行成像实验. 通过实验分析, 验证了该系统对肿瘤仿体和生物组织检测的有效性, 以及系统的高分辨率和高对比度特性, 为早期乳房肿瘤检测提供了进一步的理论支撑.     

Quantitative estimation of ultrasound beam intensities using infrared thermography-Experimental validation

Infrared (IR) thermography is a technique that has the potential to rapidly and noninvasively determine the intensity fields of ultrasound transducers. In the work described here, IR temperature measurements were made in a tissue phantom sonicated with a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer, and the intensity fields were determined using a previously published mathematical formulation relating intensity to temperature rise at a tissue/air interface. Intensity fields determined from the IR technique were compared with those derived from hydrophone measurements. Focal intensities and beam widths determined via the IR approach agreed with values derived from hydrophone measurements to within a relative difference of less than 10%, for a transducer with a gain of 30, and about 13% for a transducer with a gain of 60. At axial locations roughly 1 cm in front (pre-focal) and behind (post-focal) the focus, the agreement with hydrophones for the lower-gain transducer remained comparable to that in the focal plane. For the higher-gain transducer, the agreement with hydrophones at the pre-focal and post-focal locations was around 40%.     

激光辐照引起的材料温度场和热应力场的瞬态分布

 光电探测器吸收激光后的温升以及因温升造成的各种现象,致使探测器遭受到不同程度的损伤。利用热弹性理论对CO2激光器辐照K9玻璃材料进行研究,建立激光辐照材料温升及热应力分布二维平面模型,通过解析计算得到由激光辐照半导体材料引起的温度场和应力场的瞬态分布。研究表明, K9玻璃材料的激光辐照损伤阀值与辐照时间和光斑半径相关。在同一条件下,造成的热应力损伤阀值较熔融损伤的低,故K9玻璃材料的破坏形态为热应力破坏。      

Phase velocities and attenuations of shear, Lamb, and Rayleigh waves in plate-like tissues submerged in a fluid (L)

In the past several decades, the fields of ultrasound and magnetic resonance elastography have shown promising results in noninvasive estimates of mechanical properties of soft tissues. These techniques often rely on measuring shear wave velocity due to an external or internal source of force and relating the velocity to viscoelasticity of the tissue. The mathematical relationship between the measured velocity and material properties of the myocardial wall, arteries, and other organs with non-negligible boundary conditions is often complicated and computationally expensive. A simple relationship between the Lamb-Rayleigh dispersion and the shear wave dispersion is derived for both the velocity and attenuation. The relationship shows that the shear wave velocity is around 20% higher than the Lamb-Rayleigh velocity and that the shear wave attenuation is about 20% lower than the Lamb-Rayleigh attenuation. Results of numerical simulations in the frequency range 0-500 Hz are presented.     

FDTD simulation of finite-amplitude pressure and temperature fields for biomedical ultrasound.

Full wave simulations provide a valuable tool for studying the spatial and temporal nature of an acoustic field. One method for producing such simulations is the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. This method uses discrete differences to approximate derivatives in the governing partial differential equations. We used the FDTD method to model the propagation of finite-amplitude sound in a homogeneous thermoviscous fluid. The calculated acoustic pressure field was then used to compute the transient temperature rise in the fluid; the heating results from absorption of acoustic energy by the fluid. As an example, the transient temperature field was calculated in biological tissue in response to a pulse of focused ultrasound. Enhanced heating of the tissue from finite-amplitude effects was observed. The excess heating was attributed to the nonlinear generation of higher-frequency harmonics which are absorbed more readily than the fundamental. The effect of nonlinear distortion on temperature rise in tissue was observed to range from negligible at 1 MPa source pressure to an 80% increase in temperature elevation at 10 MPa source pressure.     

一种考虑声线弯曲的温度场重建算法

声波在非均匀温度场中传播时会由于声波的折射而产生声线弯曲现象。为提高非均匀温度场声学CT (Computer Tomography)重建精度,提出一种考虑声线弯曲的重建算法。首先用最小二乘法获得一个不考虑声线弯曲的重建温度场,然后用打靶-插值法确定本征声线出射角,用三角形前向展开法追踪声线,获得此温度场中声波发射/接收器间的本征声线,建立本征声线上声波传播时间与温度分布间的关系,进而实现考虑声线弯曲的最小二乘法温度场重建。单峰、双峰温度场仿真重建结果表明:所采用的本征声线追踪法计算简单运行速度快;考虑声线弯曲后,可明显提高温度场重建精度。因此所提重建算法能更好地适应实际温度场重建需求。      

Effect of exposure parameters on cavitation induced by low-level dual-frequency ultrasound

In order to quantify the effects of exposure parameters under therapeutic conditions such as sonodynamic therapy, it is necessary initially to evaluate the inertial cavitation activity in vitro. In this study, the dependence of cavitation activity induced by the low-level dual-frequency ultrasound irradiation on exposure parameters has been studied. Experiments were performed in the near 150 kHz and 1 MHz fields in the progressive wave mode. It has been shown that at constant ultrasound energy the fluorescence intensity for continuous sonication is higher than for pulsed mode. With increasing the duty cycle of pulsed field, the inertial cavitation activity is increased. The activity of cavitation produced by simultaneous combined sonication by two ultrasound fields is remarkably higher than the algebraic sum of effects produced by fields separately (p-value < 0.05). This study shows that simultaneous combined dual-frequency ultrasound sonication in continuous mode is more effective in producing inertial cavitation activity at low-level intensity. Therefore, it is concluded that investigations in this combined ultrasound sonication can be useful in sonodynamic therapy for superficial tumors.     

多注毫米波行波管收集极的热设计

 为解决多注毫米波行波管收集极的散热问题,保障行波管工作可靠性与稳定性,利用 ANSYS 有限元软件模拟分析了收集极的传热特性,针对性地调整和优化了收集极相关参数与结构。研究结果表明：接触热阻是造成收集极具有较高温升的一个重要因素,由接触热阻所造成的温升约占收集极内外温度差的1/3;并不是第二电极与磁环接触宽度越宽所对应的收集极散热能力就越强,而是在一定工作条件下其散热能力存在极限值;对于绝缘陶瓷材料,应根据绝缘陶瓷的温度特性以及行波管的功率大小来进行选择;翼片式散热器是一种符合设计要求的理想散热结构。