Basic Phased Array

Introduction
April, 2007
Introduction To Ultrasonic Testing (UT)
 Ultrasonic test instruments have
been used in industrial
applications for more than sixty
years. Since the 1940s, the laws
of physics that govern the
propagation of high frequency
sound waves through solid
materials have been used to
detect hidden cracks, voids,
porosity, and other internal
discontinuities in metals,
composites, plastics, and
ceramics, as well as to measure
thickness and analyze material
properties.

2
Conventional UT Basic Theory
 Sound waves are simply organized mechanical vibrations
traveling through a medium. These waves will travel
through a given medium at a specific speed or velocity, in a
predictable direction, and when they encounter a boundary
with a different medium they will be reflected or transmitted
according to simple rules.

3
 Phased Array
Probe Configuration

4
Conventional UT Probe Configuration
 With a conventional UT probe, a single piezoelectric
element converts an electrical signal into a mechanical
vibration.

Source: NDT Resource Center

(www.ndt-ed.org)

5
Phased Array Probe Configuration
 Essentially,
a phased-array probe is a long
conventional probe

cut into many small elements, which are

individually excited.

6
Phased Array Probe Configuration
 Itis like having many small conventional UT
probes integrated inside a single probe.

128 elements !

7
Phased Array Probe Configuration
 PA probes are based on
composite technology.
 The signal-to-noise ratio
obtained from composite
transducers is typically 10 to
30 dB greater compared with
piezoceramic probes.
 A metallic layer is deposited
on the piezocomposite.
 This metallic layer conforms
to the element pattern and
provides electrical contacts
for each element.

8
Phased Array
Beam Forming

9
How Does Phased Array Work?
 Ultrasonic phased arrays
consist of a series of
individual elements, each
with its own connector, time
delay circuit, and A/D
converter.
 Elements are acoustically
insulated from each other.
 Elements are pulsed in
groups with precalculated
time delays for each
element (i.e., “phasing”).

10
Beam Forming – Emission

 Appropriate delays introduced electronically during

emission to generate a specific beam
 Beam forming requires precise pulsing and time
delays
 Acoustic beam generated by Huyghens principle

11
Beam Forming – Reception

 Receiving is the opposite of pulsing.

 Appropriate delays are introduced electronically
during reception.
 Only signals satisfying the delay law shall be in
phase and generate a significant signal after
summation.
12
Beam Forming
 When no time delay is applied between each element
(elements in the array are yellow and the delay applied to
each element is in green), a PA probe becomes like a
conventional UT probe.

Conventional UT probe Phased array probe

(contact probe) (simulating a conv. UT contact probe)

13
Beam Steering
 Provides the capability to modify the refracted angle of the beam
generated by the array probe.
 Allows for multiple angle inspections, using a single probe
 Applies symmetrical (e.g., linear) focal laws.
Phased array probe
Conventional UT probe (simulating a conv. UT angle beam probe)
(angle beam probe)

14
Beam Focusing
 Provides the capability to converge the acoustic energy onto a small
focal spot.
 Allows for focusing at several depths, using a single probe.
 Applies a symmetrical (e.g., parabolic) focal law for a normal beam.
Phased array probe
Conventional UT probe
(simulating a conv. UT focused probe)
(Focused probe)

15
Beam Steering + Focusing
 By combining both steering and focusing focal laws (delay
applied to each element is in green), the focal point can be
angled.

16
Summary of Beam Forming Types
 Using a single group of elements, on the same probe,
different beam configurations can be performed:
No time delay Steering Focusing Steering + focusing

17
 Phased Array
Scanning Types

18
Linear Electronic Scan
 The movement of the
acoustic beam is along the
axis of the array, without
any mechanical
movement.

 The beam movement is

performed by time
multiplexing of the active
elements. Arrays are
multiplexed using the
same focal law.

19
Sectorial Scan
 The ability to scan a
complete sector of volume
without any probe
movement.
 Useful for inspection of
complex geometries, or
geometries with space
restrictions.
 Combines the advantages
of a wide beam and/or
multiple focused probes in
a single phased array
probe.

20
Depth Focusing Scan
 Instead of requiring one focal law for each depth position,
the DDF (dynamic depth focusing) algorithm allows the use
of a single pulsed focal law by dynamically changing the
focusing depth at reception of the signal.
 DDF is an excellent way of inspecting thick components
with a single pulse.

21
Summary of Scan Types
 Electronic pulsing and receiving allows a great
variety of scan patterns using the same probe.
Linear Electronic Scan Sectorial Scan Depth Focusing Scan

22
Phased Array
Imaging

23
Conventional UT A-Scan
 An A-scan is a simple RF waveform representation
showing the time and amplitude of an ultrasonic signal, as
commonly provided by conventional ultrasonic flaw
detectors.
 An A-scan waveform represents the reflections from one
sound beam position in the test piece.

24
Color-Encoded A-Scan Signal
 Additional imaging capability is provided for the rectified A-scan signal
by color encoding the amplitude. This allows the representation of
various phased array views, which is to be explained in later slides.

83% = Red

50% = Green

20% = Blue

Color-encoded Ultrasonic path /

TOF
A-scan (beam)

25
Imaging – Linear Electronic Scan
 By using the electronic
scanning capability of
the phased array
technology, imaging d
becomes possible
without mechanical
movement. Beams 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13
 Arrays are multiplexed
using the same focal
law and the resulting A-
scan of each beam is
color-encoded and d
displayed in a linear S-
scan.
Beams 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13
26
Imaging – Linear Electronic Scan
 Because of the short distance between each element in a
phased array probe, the electronic scan resolution is very
precise.
Linear S-scan

27
Imaging – Linear Electronic Scan
 A linear electronic scan can also be performed with a
steering angle (15° in the image below).
Linear Angle S-scan

28
Imaging – Sectorial Scan
 A typical Sectorial Scan sweeps through a range of angles
using the same focal distance and elements.

4 4

3 3

2 2
Beams 1 1
Beams

29
Imaging – Sectorial Scan
 Using a small angle step value, the sectorial scan
resolution is very precise.

30
Thank you!