• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.123-130
• /
• 2014

An ultrasonic magnetostrictive transducer-based phased-array system for imaging defects in plate structures is newly proposed. In that most ultrasonic phased array systems rely on piezoelectric transducers or electromagnetic acoustic transducers, this system has its own unique feature of employing magnetostrictive transducers. Interest in using a phased array system using magnetostrictive transducers has been recently reported for pipe inspection but no such system has been developed for plate inspection. In this investigation, we aim to propose a phased array system using OL-MPTs (Omnidirectional Lamb wave Magnetostrictive Patch Transducers) for plate inspection. The developed system consists of a multi-channel function generator, power amplifiers, preamplifiers and a data acquisition unit. In the process of its development, each of the units must be checked and in doing so, we suggest types of ultrasonic wave experiments that should be carried out. Finally, the phased system using a transducer array composed of eight OL-MPTs is newly configured and is applied for actual crack detection experiments.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.313-320
• /
• 2007

Recently, a new class of single-crystal piezoelectric materials such as lead metanibobate doped with lead titanate (PMN-PT) has been synthesized and were found to further enhance the electro-mechanical coupling factor compared to piezo-ceramic materials. This paper describes fabrication and evaluation of PMN-PT single crystal ultrasonic transducers for contact measurement of stainless steel that is one of the highly attenuative materials. The design conditions for ultrasonic transducer such as front matching layer between test materials and piezo-material and backing materials were investigated based on the simulation results by KLM model. The PMN-PT single crystal ultrasonic transducers with centre frequencies at 1 and 2.25 MHz were fabricated and their performances were evaluated.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.412-421
• /
• 2023

Ultrasound brain stimulation is spot-lighted by its capability of inducing brain cell activation in a localized deep brain region and ultimately treating impaired brain function while the efficiency and directivity of neural modulation are highly dependent on types of stimulus waveforms. Therefore, to optimize the types of stimulation parameters, we propose a cell-cultivable ultrasonic transducer having a series stack of a spin-coated polymer piezoelectric element (Poly-vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene, PVDF-TrFE) and a parylene insulating layer enhancing output acoustic pressure on a glass-coverslip which is commonly used in culturing cells. Due to the uniformity and high accuracy of stimulus waveform, tens of neuronal cell responses located on the transducer surface can be recorded simultaneously with fluorescence microscopy. By averaging the cell response traces from tens of cells, small changes to the low intensity ultrasound stimulations can be identified. In addition, the reduction of stimulus distortions made by standing wave generated from reflections between the transducers and other strong reflectors can be achieved by placing acoustic absorbers. Through the proposed ultrasound transducer, we could successfully observe the calcium responses induced by low-intensity ultrasound stimulation of 6 MHz, 0.2 MPa in astrocytes cultured on the transducer surface.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.37-43
• /
• 2015

Structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques based on the use of active-sensing piezoelectric (PZT) materials have received considerable attention. The validation of the PZT functionality during SHM operation is critical to successfully implementing a reliable SHM system. In this study, we investigated several parameters that affect the admittance-based sensor diagnostic process. We experimentally identified the temperature dependency of the active-sensor diagnostic process. We found that the admittance-based sensor diagnostic process can differentiate the adhesion conditions of bonding materials that are used to install a PZT on a structure, which is important when designing a sensor diagnostic process for an SHM system.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.127-132
• /
• 2005

Transducers for implantable hearing aids need to be small and to have good performance in frequency responses and vibration properties. From this viewpoint, we Proposed a multi-layer actuator with the piezoelectric single crystal, PMN-PT. for the implantable hearing aid. and verified its adequacy through finite element analyses and experiments. PMN-PT multi-layer actuator samples were fabricated by stacking fourteen layers of the PMN-PT crystal. Each layer were $0.2{\cal}mm$ thick and the actuator sample was $2.8{\cal}mm$ thick in total. We evaluated the performance of the PMN-PT actuator through impedance analyses and vibration displacement measurements, and compared the result with that of a PZT actuator. Results of all the process confirmed the feasibility of the PMN-PT actuator as a good transducer for an implantable hearing aid.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.165-171
• /
• 2017

The effect of the concentric solid tube inserted inside the vibrator on the sound field distribution was analyzed for the sound waves focused on the center axis in the fluid - filled cylindrical piezoelectric transducer. The sound waves radiated from the inside of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator are transmitted through the fluid medium and are reflected or transmitted on the wall surface of the solid tube, and are focused on the central axis. At this time, the sound field distribution centered on the acoustic tube varies depending on the acoustic impedance and the thickness of the solid tube. In order to theoretically analyze this, the transfer matrix for each medium is derived, and the sound pressure level at the center axis is theoretically analyzed. For the acrylic tube with various thicknesses, the changing trend in the sound pressure level measured on the central axis agrees well with the result of the theoretical analysis, and it confirmed that the sound pressure formed at the center changes very sensitively with the thickness of the solid tube.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.97-119
• /
• 2013

This paper presents numerical and experimental results on the use of guided waves for structural health monitoring (SHM) of crack growth during a fatigue test in a thick steel plate used for civil engineering application. Numerical simulation, analytical modeling, and experimental tests are used to prove that piezoelectric wafer active sensor (PWAS) can perform active SHM using guided wave pitch-catch method and passive SHM using acoustic emission (AE). AE simulation was performed with the multi-physic FEM (MP-FEM) approach. The MP-FEM approach permits that the output variables to be expressed directly in electric terms while the two-ways electromechanical conversion is done internally in the MP-FEM formulation. The AE event was simulated as a pulse of defined duration and amplitude. The electrical signal measured at a PWAS receiver was simulated. Experimental tests were performed with PWAS transducers acting as passive receivers of AE signals. An AE source was simulated using 0.5-mm pencil lead breaks. The PWAS transducers were able to pick up AE signal with good strength. Subsequently, PWAS transducers and traditional AE transducer were applied to a 12.7-mm CT specimen subjected to accelerated fatigue testing. Active sensing in pitch catch mode on the CT specimen was applied between the PWAS transducers pairs. Damage indexes were calculated and correlated with actual crack growth. The paper finishes with conclusions and suggestions for further work.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.254-258
• /
• 2006

Vitellogenin has been known as a potent biomarker protein for the estrogenic activity in fish exposed to endocrine disruptors. In this study, a piezoelectric immunosensor making use of an anticarp vitellogenin antibody and an AT-cut quartz crystal microbalance as the biological component and transducer was prepared, followed by its application to the analysis of carp vitellogenin as follows. Antibody immobilization was conducted by chemisorption of a thiolated antibody with a heterobifunctional thiolation cross-linker, sulfosuccinimidyl 6-[3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionamido]hexanoate. The reaction buffer for the immunosensor system was optimized as 0.1 M sodium phosphate (pH 7.4). Concentration-dependent sensor responses were obtained in the vitellogenin concentrations ranging from 0.4864 to 486.4000 nM, with a linear correlation between vitellogenin concentration and frequency shift in double-logarithmic scale. The limit of detection of the immunosensor for carp vitellogenin was presumed as 0.4864 nM.

• Proceedings of the Acoustical Society of Korea Conference
• /
• spring
• /
• pp.369-372
• /
• 2000

PZT 세라믹 트랜스듀서와 같은 압전 세라믹 진동자를 사용하는데 있어서 품질계수(quality factor)를 제어할 수 있다는 것은 전기-기계 결합계수나 삽입손실 등을 개선 할 수 있으므로 매우 유용한 것이다 본 연구에서는 압전 진동자의 품질계수를 제어하는 방법으로써 압전 진동자의 제동용량과 저항성분을 전기적으로 상쇄시킬 수 있는 부임피던스 변환회로(negative impedance converter circuit)를 적용하였다. 그 결과 부임피던스 변환회로를 적용하지 않은 경우에 비해 압전 진동자의 품질계수가 수십 배정도 까지 제어됨을 실험으로 확인하였다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 1995.05a
• /
• pp.192-195
• /
• 1995

PZT powders were prepared by the molten salt synthesis method. The porous PZT was prepared from a mixture of PZT an polyvinylacohol(PVA) powders by BURPS(Burnout Plastic Sphere) technique. The piezolectirc and acoustic properties with various PVA wt% were studied, Piezoelectric coefficient d$\sub$33/ of porous PZT ceramics was almost same to that of single phase PZT ceramics, The thickness mode coupling factor k$\sub$t/ was 0.53~0.59 in comparable with the single phase PZT ceramics(k$\sub$t/=0.7)