Pulsed acoustic image converter

Claim 2

An acoustic image converter for nondestructively testing an object comprising a first piezoelectric member, means for exciting said piezoelectric member to transmit therefrom pulsed ultrasound to said object, said object reflecting portion of said pulsed ultrasound to said piezoelectric member to create a charge distribution thereacross, and means for measuring the charge distribution of said piezoelectric member to provide an image of said object.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said piezoelectric-member-exciting means and charge-measuring means comprise means for generating a beam of electrons in a raster scan over a surface of said piezoelectric member to release secondary electrons therefrom responsive to the charge distribution thereon, a metal member mounted to a surface of said piezoelectric member opposite said scanned surface thereof, means for modulating said electron beam to transmit pulsed ultrasound from said piezoelectric member to said object, said object reflecting a portion of said pulsed ultrasound to said piezoelectric member to create said charge distribution thereon, a collector electrode mounted to detect said secondary electrons, and display means coupled to said collector electrode and synchronized with said electron beam scan to provide an image of said object.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said display means comprise a cathode-ray tube including an electron beam generator and electron beam deflection means, gating means responsive to said modulating means for coupling the output of said collector electrode to said cathode-ray tube electron beam generator to modulate the intensity of the electron beam thereof, and means for synchronizing said cathode-ray tube electron beam deflection means with the raster scan of said electron beam over a surface of said piezoelectric member.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said piezoelectric-member-exciting means and charge-measuring means comprise a resonant cavity disposed about said piezoelectric member, radiofrequency pulse-generating means coupled to said resonant cavity to generate therein pulsed electromagnetic energy wherefrom said piezoelectric member is excited to transmit ultrasound to said object, said object reflecting a portion of said pulsed ultrasound to said piezoelectric member to create a charge distribution thereacross, means for generating a beam of electrons in a raster scan over a surface of said piezoelectric member to release secondary electrons therefrom responsive to the charge distribution thereon, a collector electrode mounted to detect said secondary electrons, and display means coupled to said collector electrode and synchronized with said electron beam scan to provide an image of said object.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said display means comprise a cathode-ray tube including an electron beam generator and an electron beam deflection means, gating means responsive to said radiofrequency pulse-generating means for coupling the output of said collector electrode to said cathode-ray tube electron beam generator to modulate the intensity of the electron beam thereof, and means for synchronizing said cathode-ray tube electron beam deflection means with the raster scan of said electron beam over a surface of said piezoelectric member.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 further including a second piezoelectric member and wherein said first piezoelectric-member-exciting and charge-measuring means comprise a pair of metal members each mounted to an associated surface of said first piezoelectric member, means for acoustically coupling said piezoelectric members And said metal members, pulse-generating means coupled to said metal members to create a pulsed electric field across said first piezoelectric member and transmit pulsed ultrasound therefrom to said object, said object reflecting a portion of said pulsed ultrasound to said second piezoelectric member to create a charge distribution thereon, means for generating a beam of electrons in a raster scan over a surface of said second piezoelectric member to release secondary electrons therefrom responsive to the charge distribution thereon, a collector electrode mounted to detect said secondary electrons, and display means coupled to said collector electrode and synchronized with said electron beam scan to provide an image of said object.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first and second piezoelectric members are of the same material.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said display means comprise a cathode-ray tube including an electric beam generator and electron beam deflection means, gating means responsive to said pulse-generating means for coupling the output of said collector electrode to said cathode-ray tube electron beam generator to modulate the intensity of the electron beam thereof, and means for synchronizing said cathode-ray tube electron beam deflection means with the raster scan of said electron beam over a surface of said second piezoelectric member.

Claim 10

An acoustic image converter for nondestructively testing an object comprising an acoustic image tube including a piezoelectric member and means for generating and deflecting an electron beam over a surface of said piezoelectric member, means for exciting said piezoelectric member to transmit pulsed ultrasound therefrom to said object; means including said object for reflecting a portion of said pulsed ultrasound to said piezoelectric member to create a charge distribution thereon, said electron beam releasing secondary electrons from said piezoelectric member responsive to said charge distribution thereon, and means for detecting said secondary electrons to provide an image of said object.

Claim 11

An acoustic image converter for nondestructively testing an object comprising an acoustic image tube including a piezoelectric member and means for generating and deflecting an electron beam over a surface of said piezoelectric member, means for exciting said piezoelectric member to transmit pulsed ultrasound therefrom to said object; means including said object for reflecting a portion of said pulsed ultrasound to said piezoelectric member to create a charge distribution thereon, said electron beam releasing secondary electrons from said piezoelectric member responsive to said charge distribution thereon, and means for detecting said secondary electrons to provide an image of said object.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said piezoelectric-member-exciting means comprise a metal member mounted to a surface of said piezoelectric member, and means for pulse modulating said electron beam to produce a pulsed electric field across said piezoelectric member to generate pulsed ultrasound therefrom.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said piezoelectric-member-exciting means comprise a resonant cavity formed about said piezoelectric member, and means for exciting said cavity to establish a pulsed electric field across said piezoelectric member to generate pulsed ultrasound therefrom.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said piezoelectric-member-exciting means comprise a pair of metal members mounted on opposing surfaces of said piezoelectric member, and means for generating and applying a pulsed voltage to said metal members to generate a pulsed electric field across said piezoelectric member to generate pulsed ultrasound therefrom, and further including a second piezoelectric member mounted to receive said reflected pulsed ultrasound to create a charge distribution thereon, said electron beam being deflected over a surface of said second piezoelectric member to produce secondary electrons responsive to said charge distribution thereon, and said detecting means detect said secondary electrons from said second piezoelectric member to produce an image of said object.