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3.4.17 Near-Surface Resolution: Near-Surface Resolution (Dead Zone) Is The Minimum Distance From The Scanning

This document discusses various concepts related to ultrasound resolution and beamforming: 1) Near-surface resolution refers to the minimum distance from the scanning surface where a reflector amplitude is more than 6 dB compared to the initial pulse amplitude. 2) Far-surface resolution is the minimum distance from the inner surface where the probe can resolve amplitudes of reflectors located 1-5 mm from the backwall. 3) Lateral and axial resolution depend on pulse duration and beam length, with shorter/smaller values increasing resolution. Angular resolution is the minimum angle between A-scans where adjacent defects are resolvable. 4) Main and side lobes describe the acoustic pressure directed towards and leaking from the

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31 views

3.4.17 Near-Surface Resolution: Near-Surface Resolution (Dead Zone) Is The Minimum Distance From The Scanning

This document discusses various concepts related to ultrasound resolution and beamforming: 1) Near-surface resolution refers to the minimum distance from the scanning surface where a reflector amplitude is more than 6 dB compared to the initial pulse amplitude. 2) Far-surface resolution is the minimum distance from the inner surface where the probe can resolve amplitudes of reflectors located 1-5 mm from the backwall. 3) Lateral and axial resolution depend on pulse duration and beam length, with shorter/smaller values increasing resolution. Angular resolution is the minimum angle between A-scans where adjacent defects are resolvable. 4) Main and side lobes describe the acoustic pressure directed towards and leaking from the

Uploaded by

Kevin Huang
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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3.4.

17 Near-Surface Resolution
Near-surface resolution (dead zone) is the minimum distance from the scanning
surface where a reflector (SDH, FBH) amplitude has more than a 6-dB
resolution compared with the decay amplitude from the main bang (initial
pulse) for normal beam (see Figure 3-28). The dead zone increases along with
the gain increase.

3.4.18 Far-Surface Resolution


Far-surface resolution is the minimum distance from the inner surface where
the phased array probe can resolve the amplitude ( ΔA > 6 dB ) to specific
reflectors (SDH or FBH) located at a height of 1 mm to 5 mm from the
flat/cylindrical backwall (see Figure 3-28).

IP BW

SDH

> 6 dB

> 6 dB

d ns-ΔG d fs-BW

Figure 3-28 The near-surface and far-surface resolution definitions.

3.4.19 Lateral and Axial Resolution


Lateral resolution and axial resolution are defined below. Note that the phased
array probe is moving for lateral resolution and is static for axial resolution. A
shorter pulse duration and smaller beam length increases both resolutions.

Lateral resolution:

ΔX –6 dB
Δd = ------------------
-
4

Axial resolution:

v test piece Δτ –20 dB


Δz = -----------------------------------------
-
2

118 Chapter 3
where Δτ –20 dB is the time resolution at a –20 dB drop-off.

3.4.20 Angular Resolution


The angular resolution is the minimum angular value between two A-scans
where adjacent defects located at the same depth are resolvable (see Figure
3-29).

Figure 3-29 Angular resolution and detection of three 0.5-mm SDHs spaced apart by 0.8 mm
and 1.2 mm. SDHs are located at z = 25.7 mm. Principle (a); angle-corrected true depth (b);
and echo dynamic (c).

3.4.21 Main Lobe


The main lobe is the acoustic pressure directed towards the programmed
angle.

3.4.22 Side Lobes


Side lobes are produced by acoustic pressure leaking from probe elements at
different and defined angles from the main lobe.

Probes and Ultrasonic Field Formula 119


3.4.23 Grating Lobes
Grating lobes are generated by acoustic pressure due to even sampling across
the probe elements (see Figure 3-30).

Their locations are given by formula (3.11):

β grating = sin -1 ( mλ ⁄ p ) (3.11)

where:

m = ± 1, ± 2, ± 3,…

M
G
G

S S

Steering angle

Figure 3-30 Directivity plot for a phased array probe: M = main lobe; S = side lobes;
G = grating lobes. βgrating is shown in orange; the main lobe, in yellow.

Note: Probe design optimization is achieved by:

• Minimizing the main lobe width


• Suppressing the side lobes
• Eliminating the grating lobe(s)

120 Chapter 3
3.4.24 Beam Apodization
Beam apodization is a computer-controlled feature that applies lower voltage to
the outside elements in order to reduce the side lobes.

Note: The Tomoscan FOCUS beam apodization is performed during the


receiving stage. The gain applied to each element of the probe can be
adjusted individually, but the pulse voltage is kept the same for each
element.

3.4.25 Grating Lobe Amplitude


Grating lobe amplitude depends on pitch size, number of elements, frequency,
and bandwidth (see Figure 3-31 and Figure 3-32).

M M
1 MHz G
a) p = 9; n = 8
b)
S S

M
3 MHz p=6; n = 1 2 M

G
S G

G M M
5 MHz

S p = 3.6; n = 20

Figure 3-31 Grating lobe dependence on: (a) frequency; (b) pitch size and number of
elements (same aperture of 72 mm).

Probes and Ultrasonic Field Formula 121


BW = 20% BW = 70%

G M M

Figure 3-32 Influence of damping (BWrel) on grating lobes for a 1-MHz probe focusing at
z = 60 mm (simulation using PASS).

Grating lobes may be reduced though:

• Decreased frequency
• Reduced pitch size
• Increased bandwidth, which spreads out the grating lobes
• Reduced sweeping range (addition of a wedge)
• Subdicing (cutting elements into smaller elements)
• Randomized element spacing (using irregular element positioning to
break up the grating lobes)

3.5 Dynamic Depth Focusing

Dynamic depth focusing (DDF) is a programmable, real-time array response on


reception by modifying the delay line, gain, and excitation of each element as
a function of time (see Figure 3-33). DDF replaces multiple focal laws for the
same focal range by the product of the emitted beam with separate “focused
beams” at the receiving stage. In other words, DDF dynamically changes the
focal distance as the signal returns to the phased array probe. DDF
significantly increases the depth-of-field and SNR.

122 Chapter 3

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