Method and apparatus for temperature-controlled ultrasonic inspection
First Claim
1. An ultrasonic inspection system comprising:
- an ultrasonic transducer having an ultrasound emitting surface;
a coupling medium acoustically coupled to the ultrasound emitting surface of the ultrasonic transducer and an object under inspection; and
a first temperature controller operable to maintain the temperature of the coupling medium at a first temperature,wherein the ultrasonic transducer is operable to emit ultrasound having a center frequency greater than 100 MHz, and wherein the first temperature is selected to be a temperature at which attenuation in the coupling medium is reduced compare to attenuation in the coupling medium at ambient temperature.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for temperature-controlled ultrasonic inspection of an object. The temperature of a coupling medium between an ultrasonic transducer and an object under inspection is controlled to be at a predetermined temperature for which the attenuation of the ultrasonic energy in the coupling medium is reduced compared to the attenuation at an ambient temperature. This improves the efficiency of ultrasonic energy transport between the ultrasonic transducer and the object. The temperature of the object is controlled to simulate operating conditions more closely. An ultrasonic inspection system includes a temperature controller operable to maintain the temperature of the coupling medium and/or an object under inspection at a set temperature.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An ultrasonic inspection system comprising:
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an ultrasonic transducer having an ultrasound emitting surface; a coupling medium acoustically coupled to the ultrasound emitting surface of the ultrasonic transducer and an object under inspection; and a first temperature controller operable to maintain the temperature of the coupling medium at a first temperature, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is operable to emit ultrasound having a center frequency greater than 100 MHz, and wherein the first temperature is selected to be a temperature at which attenuation in the coupling medium is reduced compare to attenuation in the coupling medium at ambient temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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- 14. A method for efficient transport of ultrasonic energy between an ultrasonic transducer and an object under inspection, comprising controlling the temperature of a coupling medium between the ultrasonic transducer and the object under inspection to be at a first predetermined temperature for which the attenuation of the ultrasonic energy in the coupling medium at the first predetermined temperature is reduced compared to the attenuation of the ultrasonic energy in the coupling medium at an ambient temperature.
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28. A method in accordance with claimed 24, wherein the ultrasound transducer is operated to generate an ultrasonic pulse having a center-frequency greater than 100 MHz.
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29. A method for selecting a preferred temperature of a coupling medium in an ultrasonic inspection system, the method comprising:
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(a) for each operating temperature of a plurality of operating temperatures; controlling the temperature of the coupling medium to be approximately equal to the operating temperature; energizing an ultrasonic transducer to generate an ultrasonic wave in the coupling medium; and measuring the strength of the ultrasonic wave in the coupling medium; and (b) selecting the preferred temperature dependent upon the strengths of the ultrasonic wave at the plurality of operating temperatures. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for ultrasonic inspection of an object having a predetermined operating temperature, the method comprising:
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controlling the temperature of the object to be substantially equal to the predetermined operating temperature; energizing a transducer to generate ultrasound in the object when the temperature of the object is substantially equal to the predetermined operating temperature; and sensing the ultrasound emitted from the object. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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- 36. A method for efficient coupling of ultrasonic energy between an ultrasonic transducer and an object under inspection, comprising controlling the temperature of a coupling medium between the ultrasonic transducer and the object under inspection to be at a first predetermined temperature, wherein the acoustic impedance of the coupling medium at the first predetermined temperature is better matched to that of the ultrasonic transducer compared to the acoustic impedance of the coupling medium at an ambient temperature.
Specification