高频水声换能器匹配层技术研究

在复杂的海洋环境中,为提高对目标的探测效果以获得更多的信息,高频声呐常需要更宽的工作频带。首先,通过声透射原理对不同匹配层材料进行选取与设计;其次,通过有限元仿真对不同匹配层换能器的透射系数、电导谱和发送电压响应展开了分析计算;最后,在理论分析、解析计算和有限元仿真计算的基础上成功研制了单层、双层和三层匹配层高频宽带水声换能器,其工作频带分别为79～150 kHz, 74～163 kHz和66～176 kHz,带内发送电压响应起伏为-6 dB。实验结果表明：匹配层层数越多,换能器的带宽越宽,该工作为实现宽频带换能器在实际工作中的应用提供了方向。     

高频宽带换能器研究

主要研究高频换能器的匹配层技术,通过匹配层技术拓宽换能器的频带,首先利用等效电路法分析高频匹配层换能器,其次通过Matlab仿真分析匹配层材料的密度、声速、厚度变化对换能器电声参数性能的影响,进而对其电声性能进行优化设计,最终制作出一高频宽带换能器。通过实验测得结果与仿真结果基本一致,实验测得换能器的最大发送电压响应为178dB,工作频带为260～370kHz,带内发送电压响应起伏为-3dB,300kHz时换能器指向性-3dB开角为6．5°。     

多谐振宽频带换能器

通过对传统纵振换能器增加质量块把驱动源分成两部分而形成双谐振振动系统,为了使双谐振之间响应幅值有很小的起伏,在换能器辐射面增加匹配层从而使换能器出现三谐振峰,通过对三个谐振峰的合理调整可以使换能器的通频带超过一个倍频程,根据理论分析与仿真计算设计并制做了发射电压响应大于140 dB、工作带宽21～47 kHz、Q值1.3、起伏在-3 dB以内的换能器.     

基于零阶算法的矩形面宽带纵振换能器设计

传统换能器的优化一般采用试算修改的方式进行,这样的方式在待优化参数较多时不仅比较繁琐而且有可能会漏掉各参数组合下较好的设计点,对此提出了利用零阶算法进行换能器多参数联合优化设计的方法。建立了一种带宽评价函数,通过该评价函数和零阶算法尝试了对矩形面纵振换能器带宽的优化设计。经有限元仿真和样机测试表明,两款换能器的性能达到了预期指标要求,实现了宽带工作。得到的两款宽带换能器性能为:1#换能器工作频带为10~21.5 kHz,带内起伏约3 dB,发射电压响应大于134 dB;2#换能器工作频带为7.5~31.5 kHz,带内起伏约6 dB,发射电压响应大于131 dB。该方法可以作为换能器设计的一种新方式。     

匹配层厚度振动换能器研究

随着水声信号处理技术的发展,对宽带信号的需求日益增长。换能器的带宽是宽带信号处理的基础,而匹配层技术是拓宽厚度振动换能器频带最有效的方法。研究了多匹配层厚度振动换能器的设计方法,建立了复数形式的多匹配层厚度振动换能器等效网络模型,仿真研究了匹配层参数对换能器响应带宽的影响,指出了单、双匹配层在拓宽换能器带宽方面的限制,还指出匹配层的最佳厚度并非一定就是四分之一波长。在此基础上,制作了单、双匹配层换能器样品,对仿真结果进行了试验验证。测试结果和仿真结果符合得很好。     

自由端盖四梁凹形宽带弯张换能器设计

针对凹形弯张换能器改善低频宽带工作特性的技术需求,提出了一种自由端盖四梁凹形弯张换能器新结构。结构中将纵向振子的端部设计成弹性辅助梁,与主弯曲梁连接构成复合弯曲梁。同时为了克服弹性辅助梁对振动辐射带来的不利影响,引入了由纵向振子驱动的方形自由端盖并以此构成新的辐射端面。利用有限元软件分析了这种新结构弯张换能器的多模振动特性,模态分析表明换能器的前五阶模态是可利用的主要工作模态,频率间隔可以通过敏感结构参数进行调控。通过优化给出了一种设计方案,换能器整体几何尺寸为 140 mm×140 mm×396 mm,仿真分析了换能器在水中的导纳特性和发射电压响应曲线,结果表明：换能器最大发射电压响应大于 145 dB,发射电压响应起伏小于 6 dB的工作频带为 1.5~4.3 kHz,发射电压响应起伏小于 10 dB的工作频带为 1.5~8 kHz,具有低频宽带大功率工作特性。     

一款宽带圆柱阵研究

圆柱阵换能器具有水平全向的优势,已广泛应用在水声探测领域。文章研究了一款宽带圆柱阵,利用匹配层技术拓宽圆柱阵阵元的带宽,通过有限元仿真优化单个换能器阵元带宽、发送电压响应和阻抗等参数。同时通过仿真以阵元错位密集方式形成圆柱阵,对阵元的个数及排列方式进行仿真优化,制作了一款宽带圆柱阵并进行了测量,圆柱阵直径为400 mm,高度为435 mm,圆柱阵的工作频段为20~30 kHz,频带内起伏3 dB,最大发送电压响应为160.5 dB,圆柱阵-3 dB水平波束宽度为360°。     

高频宽带圆管换能器研究

压电圆管换能器是水声领域中广泛应用的换能器之一,它一般采用压电圆管的径向振动模态。利用压电圆管的径向振动模态和高阶振动模态来实现圆管的宽带发射性能。采用有限元方法对圆管换能器进行了分析,利用ANSYS软件建立圆管换能器的有限元模型,并对其进行结构优化。最终所制作换能器的径向谐振频率为47.5kHz,其工作带宽为40~80kHz,发送电压响应起伏不超过±4dB,最大发送电压响应为150dB。研究结果表明：所采用的有限元法计算结果与测试结果吻合较好,换能器实现了高频、宽带、水平无指向性的发射性能。     

面剪切振动模式弛豫铁电单晶换能器

[011]极化方向、zxt-45°切型的PIN-PMT-PT单晶因其高剪切压电应变常数、高机电耦合系数和高柔顺系数等特点,在水声换能器中存在广阔的应用前景。通过设计中间质量块的方法,将单晶产生的剪切振动转换为换能器的纵向振动,并利用辐射头的弯曲振动和圆环尾质量块振动的耦合拓宽工作频带。通过有限元仿真分析,研究了结构参数对各阶模态振型和谐振频率的影响。最终仿真得到的换能器工作频带6～18 kHz,最大发送电压响应为138 dB,带内起伏小于4 dB。研究结果表明：采用面剪切工作模式有利于实现换能器低频、小尺寸、宽带发射。     

一种带障板宽波束宽带纵振动换能器

介绍了一种带障板宽波束宽带纵振动换能器。通过将纵振动换能器的纵振动模态和前盖板弯曲振动模态有效耦合来达到拓宽换能器工作频带的目的;并提出利用反声障板边界结构大幅度增大发射波束宽度的方法。利用有限元软件分析了其在水中的特性。分析结果表明,通过纵弯模态耦合方式可有效拓宽换能器的频带宽度;通过障板在纵振动换能器中的应用可有效调节纵振动换能器的波束特性,从而实现宽波束的目的。实际制作该换能器并测试了其在不同情况下的性能,测试结果表明:有限元分析结果跟实验测量结果吻合。在9.5~18 kHz的频率范围内实现了发送电压响应起伏不超过3 dB的宽带工作;在11、12、13、14 kHz,实现了120°~160°的宽波束。     

超声换能器环氧树脂-氧化铝匹配层研究

匹配层对超声换能器的性能起着至关重要的作用,寻找合适的匹配层材料是换能器设计中的关键步骤。提出了一种基于环氧树脂-氧化铝复合材料的匹配层材料。首先,测试了不同配比的环氧树脂-氧化铝复合材料的声学性能,对比了其声学特性,并确定了材料的最佳配比。其次,研制了相应的换能器,分析该匹配层对换能器性能的影响,通过脉冲-回波方法测试了其性能参数。最后,基于四分之一波长匹配层原理对匹配层的厚度进行了优化。结果显示,环氧树脂中加入质量分数为 60%的氧化铝粉末的匹配层对换能器的改善效果最佳,该方案减小了换能器接收回波的拖尾,接收回波的幅值提高至 1 136 mV(+104%),-6 dB带宽达到 49.679%(+107%)。结果表明,氧化铝-环氧树脂混合材料可以提升换能器的声学性能,是较为理想的匹配层材料,在高频超声换能器的设计与应用中具有很好的应用前景。     

Preparation and Properties of 1-3 Piezoelectric Composite Transducers

This study demonstrated the preparation of 1-3 piezoelectric composite transducers by using 1-3 piezoelectric composites as the active phases, air as the backing layer and polyurethane as the matching layer. The composite electrode was produced by electroless nickel coating and the effect of the matching layer on transducer performance was investigated in detail. The results showed that the matching layer could improve the receiving sensitivity of the transducer significantly. The receiving response value of the transducer at first increased and then decreased with the increase of the matching layer thickness. This receiving response had the largest head-wave amplitude value when the thickness of the matching layer was about 2.2 mm, which was in good agreement with the theoretical value. The resonance frequency of the transducer in water showed a tendency of low frequencies, and the bandwidth of the transducer in water became much wider than that in air. The reasonable matching layer could improve performance of the transducer effectively.     

A miniaturized catheter 2-D array for real-time, 3-D intracardiac echocardiography

The design, fabrication, and characterization of a 112 channel, 5 MHz, two-dimensional (2-D) array transducer constructed on a six layer flexible polyimide interconnect circuit is described. The transducer was mounted in a 7 Fr (2.33 mm outside diameter) catheter for use in real-time intracardiac volumetric imaging. Two transducers were constructed: one with a single silver epoxy matching layer and the other without a matching layer. The center frequency and -6 dB fractional bandwidth of the transducer with a matching layer were 4.9 MHz and 31%, respectively. The 50 omega pitch-catch insertion loss was 80 dB, and the typical interelement crosstalk was -30 dB. The final element yield was greater than 97% for both transducers. The transducers were used to acquire real-time, 3-D images in an in vivo sheep model. We present in vivo images of cardiac anatomy obtained from within the coronary sinus, including the left and right atria, aorta, coronary arteries, and pulmonary veins. We also present images showing the manipulation of a separate electrophysiological catheter into the coronary sinus.     

PMN-PT single crystal, high-frequency ultrasonic needle transducers for pulsed-wave Doppler application

High-frequency needle ultrasound transducers with an aperture size of 0.4 mm were fabricated using lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-33% PT) as the active piezoelectric material. The active element was bonded to a conductive silver particle matching layer and a conductive epoxy backing through direct contact curing. An outer matching layer of parylene was formed by vapor deposition. The active element was housed within a polyimide tube and a 20-gauge needle housing. The magnitude and phase of the electrical impedance of the transducer were 47 omega and -38 degrees, respectively. The measured center frequency and -6 dB fractional bandwidth of the PMN-PT needle transducer were 44 MHz and 45%, respectively. The two-way insertion loss was approximately 15 dB. In vivo high-frequency, pulsed-wave Doppler patterns of blood flow in the posterior portion and in vitro ultrasonic backscatter microscope (UBM) images of the rabbit eye were obtained with the 44-MHz needle transducer.     

Multi-layered PZT/polymer composites to increase signal-to-noise ratio and resolution for medical ultrasound transducers part II: thick film technology

For pt.I, see ibid., vol.46, no.4, p.961-71 (1999). Increasing transducer bandwidth and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is fundamental to improving the quality of medical ultrasound images. In previous work, we have proposed the use of multi-layer 1-3 PZT/polymer composites to increase both, but have encountered significant fabrication challenges. Thus, we have developed a multi-layer composite hybrid array that will not require post alignment. Starting from a 2-MHz, three-layer PZT-5H, thick film transducer designed for 1.5-D arrays, cuts are made only through the top layer and back-filled with epoxy, forming a composite layer on top of two ceramic layers. Finite element (PZFlex) simulations show that for a 2-MHz phased-array element with a single matching layer, the three-layer hybrid structure increases the pulse echo SNR by 11 dB versus a single layer PZT element and improves -6 dB pulse echo fractional bandwidth by a factor of 1.4. Composite hybrid arrays fabricated in our laboratory showed an improvement in SNR of 6 to 11 dB over a PZT control and an increase in -6 dB bandwidth by a factor of 1.1. Images from a phased-array scanner confirmed these improvements     

c-Axis zig-zag ZnO film ultrasonic transducers for designing longitudinal and shear wave resonant frequencies and modes

A method for designing frequencies and modes in ultrasonic transducers above the very-high-frequency (VHF) range is required for ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation and acoustic mass sensors. To obtain the desired longitudinal and shear wave conversion loss characteristics in the transducer, we propose the use of a c-axis zig-zag structure consisting of multilayered c-axis 23° tilted ZnO piezoelectric films. In this structure, every layer has the same thickness, and the c-axis tilt directions in odd and even layers are symmetric with respect to the film surface normal. c-axis zig-zag crystal growth was achieved by using a SiO(2) low-temperature buffer layer. The frequency characteristics of the multilayered transducer were predicted using a transmission line model based on Mason's equivalent circuit. We experimentally demonstrated two types of transducers: those exciting longitudinal and shear waves simultaneously at the same frequency, and those exciting shear waves with suppressed longitudinal waves.