Ultrasonic Phased Array Technology

Release Date:

2021/06/26

Basic Concepts

Ultrasonic phased-array imaging is a technique that controls the time delays of the excitation (or reception) pulses applied to each element in the transducer array, thereby altering the phase relationships among the ultrasonic waves emitted (or received) by the individual elements as they reach (or originate from) a specific point within the test object. This manipulation enables dynamic adjustment of the focal point and beam orientation, thus achieving acoustic imaging. Because the delay times for each element in a phased-array can be varied in real time, ultrasonic phased-array probes are primarily employed in nondestructive testing due to their two key features: controllable beam angle and dynamic focusing.

In ultrasonic phased arrays, each array element is excited by the same pulse with a different time delay, and the deflection angle and focal point are controlled by adjusting these delays. In practice, rapid focusing and deflection enable two-dimensional imaging of the test specimen.

Ultrasonic phased-array inspection technology has the following characteristics:

(1) By generating controllable beam angles and focal depths, detection of defects in complex structural components and in blind-spot regions is achieved.

(2) Sound field control is achieved through the arrangement of localized chip elements, enabling high-speed electronic scanning; when equipped with a mechanical fixture, the test specimen can be subjected to high-speed, omnidirectional

and multi-angle detection.

(3) By applying the same pulsed voltage to drive each array element, the actual acoustic field intensity in the focal region is significantly higher than that achieved with conventional ultrasonic testing techniques, thereby allowing the use of higher inspection frequencies for materials with the same acoustic attenuation characteristics.

Working Principle of Ultrasonic Phased Array

In phased-array ultrasonic imaging systems, digital control technology primarily refers to spatiotemporal beam control. By leveraging advanced computing techniques, this approach enables precise phase control of the transmit/receive phased beams, thereby optimizing beam characteristics. Key digital technologies in this domain include phased delay, dynamic focusing, dynamic aperture, dynamic weighting, coded transmission, and beamforming.

Phase delay

Phased-array ultrasonic imaging systems employ array transducers and, by adjusting the phase delay of the transmit/receive signals from each element, can control the curvature, directionality, and aperture of the synthesized wavefront, thereby achieving various phased-array effects such as beam focusing, beam steering, and beamforming to produce high-quality images. In essence, phase delay—also known as phased-delay—is the core of phased-array technology and the foundation upon which these diverse phased-array effects are realized.

Dynamic Focusing

Phased-array focusing principle (as shown in the figure): The phased-array transmission and focusing principle is illustrated in the figure. Let the center-to-center spacing of the array elements be d, the aperture of the array transducer be D, the focal point be P, the focal length be f, and the sound speed in the medium be c. Based on the geometric path difference, one can calculate the necessary conditions for ensuring that the waves emitted by each array element converge at point P.

(a) Transmit focusing map (b) Receive focusing map

Schematic diagram of the phased-array focusing principle

Phased Array Testing Equipment

Phased-array inspection equipment consists of two parts: hardware and software: hardware and software.

The hardware comprises ultrasonic signal transmission and reception units. A phased-array probe emits an arrayed pulsed beam that forms a focused beam, which passes through the object. The transmitted ultrasonic waves are then received, amplified, filtered, and detected, followed by analog-to-digital conversion for subsequent signal processing.

The software component primarily performs computer-based data processing on the received signals to extract the data required for image generation.

Phased Array Probe

Phased-array probes come in a wide variety of specifications, including different sizes, shapes, and numbers of piezoelectric elements; however, their internal structure invariably involves dividing a single solid piezoelectric ceramic element into multiple segments. Modern phased-array transducers used for industrial NDT inspections are predominantly fabricated from piezocomposite materials, which typically consist of a polymer matrix containing numerous thin, embedded strips of piezoelectric ceramic. This structural design significantly increases manufacturing complexity, yet composite transducers exhibit a sensitivity that is 10 to 30 dB higher than that of equivalent piezoceramic transducers. Separated metallic coatings are employed to partition the composite strips into individual electronic elements, each of which can be independently driven. These segmented elements are then integrated into a single transducer, which also includes a matching layer for impedance matching, a backing material, connecting cables, and a probe housing.

Phased Array Calibration Test Block

Test blocks are specimens designed and manufactured for specific applications, featuring simple geometric shapes and serving as artificial reflectors. Like instrument probes, test blocks are essential tools in ultrasonic phased-array flaw detection. The primary function of a test block is to establish the inspection sensitivity. 。

Schematic diagram of Type A test block

Phased Array Inspection Image Display

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