[7A2] Towards paint-on and removable film sensors for low-cost ultrasound visualisation
O Trushkevych, D R Bilson, R Watson, D A Hutchins and R S Edwards
University of Warwick, UK
Acoustic field and vibration visualisation is important in a wide range of applications including aerospace, automotive, electronics and non-destructive testing. Laser vibrometry is often used for such visualisation, however the equipment is expensive, and the method can be slow, as it requires scanning point by point. Here we suggest a different approach to visualisation of acoustic fields in the kHz – MHz range, using paint-on or removable film sensors, which produce a map of ultrasound displacement. The suggested visualisation method is a fast and low-cost alternative to laser vibrometry, or could be used as an addition to vibrometry for quick tests, for example when choosing which area on the sample to scan. We demonstrate characterisation of ultrasonic transducers using a removable film sensor, as well as visualisation of ultrasonic field distribution in air and in water, without a solid sample. The speed and low cost of the method make it attractive for use for condition monitoring, for fast assessment of transducer quality, or acoustic field distribution in power ultrasonic systems.
