Ultrasound Transducer Phase Equalization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Piezoelectric cells with different phase characteristics, when simultaneously driven, cause back-coupling and reduce the overall sensitivity of ultrasound transducers due to inverted phase cancellation, despite achieving broadband characteristics by adjusting amplitude characteristics.
Innovation Solution
By setting at least two parameters (spring constant, viscosity coefficient, and mass) of the equivalent single damped oscillation model for each piezoelectric cell to different values, ensuring a consistent relationship between driving frequency ratio and phase, thus equalizing phase characteristics among cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If piezoelectric cells with different resonance frequencies are simultaneously driven to achieve broadband characteristics, then the frequency range is improved, but the sensitivity is degraded due to phase cancellation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the spring constant, viscosity coefficient, or mass parameters of the piezoelectric cells to modify their phase characteristics. By changing these physical parameters, the invention achieves consistent phase relationships across different resonance frequencies, enabling broadband operation without sensitivity degradation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention preemptively compensates for potential phase cancellation by designing piezoelectric cells with predetermined phase characteristics. Through parameter adjustment during design, the cells are configured to maintain consistent phase relationships, preventing the harmful back-coupling effect before it occurs
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for broadband characteristics without degrading the sensitivity of the ultrasound transducer by preventing phase cancellation among piezoelectric cells, maintaining high sensitivity.
Implementation Method 1
piezoelectric cells each include a piezoelectric element... the piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric thin film... to apply a voltage to the piezoelectric thin film
Implementation Method 2
a reception section that drives the ultrasound transducer to receive a second ultrasound signal from the test object in response to the first ultrasound signal
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasound transducer that achieves broadband characteristics without degrading the sensitivity of the ultrasound transducer. Piezoelectric element (202) includes piezoelectric thin film (203), first electrode (204) that is disposed on a first surface of piezoelectric thin film (203) in a thickness direction of piezoelectric thin film (203), and second electrode (205) that is disposed on a second surface of piezoelectric thin film (203) in the thickness direction of piezoelectric thin film (203), and at least two of parameters of a spring constant, a viscosity coefficient, and a mass in an equivalent single damped oscillation model representing a structure of a diaphragm composed of each piezoelectric cell (200) are each set to a value that is different among the piezoelectric cells (200) such that a relationship between a driving frequency ratio and a phase in the diaphragm is substantially identical among the piezoelectric cells (200).