Method and system for dual phase scanning acoustic microscopy
First Claim
1. The method of examining internal structure in an object by reflection mode scanning acoustic microscopy, comprising the steps of:
- (A) generating a series of acoustic pulses of ultrasonic frequency and predetermined magnitude;
(B) insonifying an object with the acoustic pulses from step A, with predetermined timing and in accordance with a preselected scanning pattern;
(C) receiving ultrasonic pulse echoes reflected from the object and developing an initial electrical signal comprising a sequence of electrical pulses of varying amplitudes and polarities representative of the magnitudes and phases, respectively, of the ultrasonic pulse echoes; and
(X) producing a unified image representative of structure of the object, the unified image simultaneously displaying positions, magnitudes, and directions of acoustic impedance transitions for at least one depth level of the object, in which image;
(1) positions of the acoustic transitions in the image and the image level in the object are determined by the timing of the pulses in the initial electrical signal,(2) transitions between differing acoustic impedances at the surfaces of and within the object are determined by the amplitudes of the pulses in the initial electrical signal, and(3) increases and decreases in acoustic impedance, in transitions at the surfaces of and within the object, are determined by the polarities of the pulses in the initial electrical signal.
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Abstract
In a scanning acoustic microscope of the reflection type, in which an object is insonified with a series of ultrasonic acoustic pulses in accordance with a preselected scanning pattern and reflected acoustic echo pulses are received and employed to generate an initial electrical signal comprising a sequence of electrical pulses having amplitudes and polarities representative of the magnitudes and phases of the echoes, a directly readable unified interpretative display image is produced from the entire electrical signal; that image includes the usual scanning position and depth information determined by timing of the electrical pulses, together with complete transition information regarding the nature of acoustic impedance changes, based on both the amplitudes and the polarities of those pulses. A compared dual integration method and system, with related gating and display enhancement techniques, comprises the preferred embodiment.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. The method of examining internal structure in an object by reflection mode scanning acoustic microscopy, comprising the steps of:
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(A) generating a series of acoustic pulses of ultrasonic frequency and predetermined magnitude; (B) insonifying an object with the acoustic pulses from step A, with predetermined timing and in accordance with a preselected scanning pattern; (C) receiving ultrasonic pulse echoes reflected from the object and developing an initial electrical signal comprising a sequence of electrical pulses of varying amplitudes and polarities representative of the magnitudes and phases, respectively, of the ultrasonic pulse echoes; and (X) producing a unified image representative of structure of the object, the unified image simultaneously displaying positions, magnitudes, and directions of acoustic impedance transitions for at least one depth level of the object, in which image; (1) positions of the acoustic transitions in the image and the image level in the object are determined by the timing of the pulses in the initial electrical signal, (2) transitions between differing acoustic impedances at the surfaces of and within the object are determined by the amplitudes of the pulses in the initial electrical signal, and (3) increases and decreases in acoustic impedance, in transitions at the surfaces of and within the object, are determined by the polarities of the pulses in the initial electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A display system for a scanning acoustic microscope of the kind comprising transducer means for generating a series of acoustic pulses of ultrasonic frequency and predetermined magnitude, acoustic scanning means for directing the acoustic pulses to impinge upon and insonify an object with predetermined timing and in accordance with a preselected scanning pattern, and receiver means for receiving ultrasonic pulse echoes reflected from the object and developing an initial electrical signal of varying amplitude and polarity representative of the magnitude and phase, respectively, of the ultrasonic pulse echoes, the display system comprising:
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amplifier means, connected to the receiver means, for generating an amplitude content signal representative of amplitude of the initial electrical signal, independent of polarity; comparator means, connected to the receiver means, for generating a polarity content signal representative of polarity of the initial electrical signal, independent of amplitude; and display means, actuated by the content signals, for displaying a unified image of the object in which acoustic impedance transitions for at least one depth level of the object from which echoes of different polarities occur are clearly distinguished from each other in the image despite similarities, however close, in the magnitudes of those echoes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification