Method and circuit arrangement for energizing ultrasonic tranducers which are utilized in impulse echo technology

Abstract

In an exemplary embodiment particularly applicable to the examination of the human body, for the purpose of energizing with the aim of transmission of an ultrasonic pulse, a high frequency pulse of specific duration and amplitude is in each instance supplied to the ultrasonic transducer. In spite of a substantially reduced maximum energizing voltage, optimum conditions are to be created with regard to the intensity of pulses to be radiated with a simultaneous short pulse duration, so that preferably also switches which are restricted in their maximum switching voltage can be utilized for controlling the ultrasonic transducers. This becomes possible by virtue of the fact that each ultrasonic transducer is subjected to a specifiable number of periods of a sinusoidal or sine-like oscillation with a frequency which energizes the ultrasonic transducer at its useful resonance frequency. Subsequently thereto, a stop signal, preferably an additional number of periods of sinusoidal oscillation of smaller amplitude and with a phase jump of 180° is supplied to the ultrasonic transducer. After-oscillations of the transducer are thus extinguished with certainty.