Phased Array Technology Research Articles

An AESA Antenna Comprising an RF Feeding Network With Strongly Coupled Antenna Ports

This paper presents an S-band AESA antenna with inexpensive T/R-modules and a novel RF feeding network operation technique. The antenna ports of the front-end's feeding network have no isolation mechanisms, which can be problematic in case of not well matched T/R-modules. However, a novel operation is proposed, and the issue is overcome. A system demonstrator is presented, proving: the novel feeding network operation, the low-cost T/R-module approach and the electronic scanning capabilities of the front-end. This low-cost architecture can enable the use of phased-array technology for civil applications like maritime navigation radar.

A Novel Method for Ultrasonic Evaluation of Horizontal Defects Using Time-of-Flight Diffraction

Time-of-flight diffraction method (ToFD) is an amplitude-independent sizing method which is based on the measurement of time-of-flight of defect tip diffracted waves. Although ToFD can measure through-wall length of defect accurately, this method is not capable of measuring horizontal defect size. In this paper, a new ToFD method for evaluating horizontal planar defects is presented. The finite element method (FEM), using the ABAQUS software package, is employed to simulate the ultrasonic wave behavior in the test blocks and its interaction with the embedded planar defects. The phased array technology is also used to model the ultrasonic inspection system parameters. FEM simulation of the new ToFD method for different crack sizes shows that, compared to the conventional ToFD method, the accuracy of results is within acceptable range to use the novel technique for measuring the horizontal planar defects.

The study of volume ultrasonic waves propagation in the gas-containing iron ore pulp

The results of research of the volume ultrasonic waves propagation in the gas-containing iron ore slurry using ultrasonic phased array technology is presented.

Achieving selective interrogation and sub-wavelength resolution in thin plates with embedded metamaterial acoustic lenses

In this study, we present an approach to ultrasonic beam-forming and high resolution identification of acoustic sources having critical implications for applications such as structural health monitoring. The proposed concept is based on the design of dynamically tailored structural elements via embedded acoustic metamaterial lenses. This approach provides a completely new alternative to conventional phased-array technology enabling the formation of steerable and collimated (or focused) ultrasonic beams by exploiting a single transducer. Numerical results show that the ultrasonic beam can be steered by simply tuning the frequency of the excitation. Also, the embedded lens can be designed to achieve sub-wavelength resolution to clustered acoustic sources, which is a typical scenario encountered in incipient structural damage.

BUILDING BLOCKS FOR A 24 GHZ PHASED-ARRAY FRONT-END IN CMOS TECHNOLOGY FOR SMART STREETLIGHTS

According to a recent European Union report, lighting represents a significant share of electricity costs and the goal of reducing lighting power consumption by 20% demands the coupling of light-emitting diode (LED) lights with smart sensors and communication networks. In this context, this paper proposes the integration of these three elements into a smart streetlight, incorporating a 24 GHz phased-array (Ph-A) front-end (FE). The main building blocks of this Ph-A FE integrated in a low cost 90 nm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology are fully characterized. The selected FE’s architecture allows the implementation of transceivers as well as Doppler radar sensors functionalities. More specifically, the Ph-A technology is applied to a Doppler radar sensor in order to realize multi-lane road scanning and pedestrian detection. That way, the smart streetlight can become eco-friendly by turning on the LEDs only when necessary as well as to measure traffic parameters such as vehicle speed, type and direction. Intercommunication between the smart streetlights is based on a time-sharing mechanism that uses the same FE reconfigured as transceiver. Thanks to this functionality, the recorded traffic information can be relayed through adjacent streetlights to a control center, and control commands and warnings can be spread through the network. The system requirements are derived assuming a simplified model of the operating scenario with a typical inter-light distance of 50 m and line-of-sight between lights. The radar range is around 60 m, which allows for continuous coverage from one streetlight to the adjacent one. Meanwhile, a communication range of 140 m is derived as a fundamental requirement for reliable communication between streetlight sensors because it allows bypassing of one node in case of failure. For the developed building blocks — a low-noise amplifier, a variable-gain amplifier, a voltage-controlled oscillator and a vector modulation phase shifter — the design methodology is presented together with measurement results. The system power, consumption, noise figure and gain are estimated by means of a system analysis based on the measured data from the implemented blocks and the state of the art performances for the missing parts. It is shown that the requirements can be fulfilled with a total power consumption of around 375 mW in Doppler radar sensor mode and around 190 mW in transceiver mode. To the authors’ knowledge, this kind of integration is new and overcomes some limitations of the currently used solutions based on infrared sensors and low-throughput communications.

Proposal of a new method for depth sizing of crack in bolts based on ultrasonic phased array technology

Proposal of a new method for depth sizing of crack in bolts based on ultrasonic phased array technology

GS04 超音波フェイズドアレイ技術を用いた二次元流速分布計測法に関する研究

GS04 超音波フェイズドアレイ技術を用いた二次元流速分布計測法に関する研究

Advances in ultrasound methods for therapy

Focused ultrasound has been shown to be the only method that allows noninvasive thermal coagulation of tissues and recently this potential has been explored for noninvasive image-guided drug delivery. In this presentation, the advances in ultrasound phased array technology for well controlled energy delivery will be discussed. In addition, some of the recent preclinical results for the treatments of brain tumors, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease will be reviewed. As conclusion, the advances in the image-guided focused ultrasound for the treatment of disease has been rapid and the future potential appears very promising.

Study on the Technology of Ultrasonic Imaging Detection based on Phase Array

Ultrasonic testing is an important flaw detection technology in nondestructive testing field. With its unique electronic scanning, dynamic deflection focusing (DDF), sectorial scanning characters and ultrasonic phased array (UPA) technology can be used for defecting detection of objects with curved face or complex structure. Thus, UPA technology has become a focus of ultrasonic testing research. In order to solve a kind of problem of the internal inspection, this paper analyze methods of phasing array imaging and make a simulation scheme. The simulation result shows that the fan imaging method proposed by this article is right, establishing basis for the real-time imaging test analysis of ultrasonic flaw detection.

Ultrasonic Phased Array Industrial Imaging Research with Compressed Sensing

this study presents an eight array ultrasonic signal phased array sparse sampling experiment system based ultrasonic phased array technology and Compressed Sensing (CS). Proposed system considers recovery ultrasonic beam signal received eight phased array elements with sparse samples captured using sub-Nyquist model in CS recovery algorithm. We have the block defect detection test in the system. The test result approximated the actual block defect position. Based on block defect detection test, We compared sparse sampling value using spectrum estimation to Compressed Sensing recovery algorithm imaging, and no focus and focus detection effect, proved the phased array experiment system based on Compressed Sensing .it can greatly improve the detection signal to noise ratio (SNR) and sensitivity. So we verify the phased array focus can improve the detection ability.

Application of Portable Ultrasonic Phased Array Instrument for Rail Welds Ultrasonic Inspection

In order to promote the phased array technology for the application of weld inspection, the advantage of phased array technology was introduced and the application of rails welding inspection with phased array technology was also introduced. Through detecting nature and machining flaws of aluminum-themic welding of rails, contrast to results of conventional ultrasound test, validate the effectiveness of ultrasonic phased array method, concluding characteristics of ultrasonic phased array method for the aluminum-themic welding of rails. From the result of application, the efficiency of weld inspection could be greatly improved and the inspection cost could be greatly reduced by phased array technology.

Comparison of systems for ultrasonic nondestructive testing using antenna arrays or phased antenna arrays

This paper considers the features of forming the images of reflectors using phased antenna array technology and the images obtained by the C-SAFT method by echo signals measured in by double-scanning mode. It is shown that in some cases the images obtained by the phased antenna array technology are less informative, while the images obtained by the C-SAFT method have a higher frontal resolution over the entire area of image restoration; the partial images restored at different positions of the antenna array can be coherently combined to obtain a high and homogeneous resolution throughout the entire volume of thickwalled articles and increasing the signal/noise ratio. For the sake of brevity, the registration of echo signals in the double-scanning mode and restoration of the images of reflectors by the C-SAFT method will be called digital focusing by an antenna array (DFA). The ability to restore the partial images of reflectors by once measured echo signals according to many acoustic schemes with their consequent combination into one high-quality image should provide reliable automation of the process of recognition and dimensioning of scatterers. Another advantage of the images obtained by the C-SAFT method with three-dimensional focusing is the possibility of restoring images in the same coordinate system when using antenna arrays on prisms of different configurations. This facilitates the joint analysis of the images. Speeds of forming the images by the technology of phased-antenna arrays and the images obtained by the C-SAFT method are comparable. If the testing technique is based on the use of nonlinear effects, then in this case PA flaw detectors have a distinct advantage over DFA flaw detectors. However, within the framework of linear acoustics, PA flaw detectors have no fundamental advantages over DFA flaw detectors. It is fairer to say that PA flaw detectors have drawbacks. This article shows images that illustrate the features of the images that were obtained by PA and DFA flaw detectors.

Beam Control Technologies With a High-Efficiency Phased Array for Microwave Power Transmission in Japan

Beam control and/or beamforming technologies involving phased arrays can be used to enable highly efficient microwave power transmission (MPT) systems. In Japan, several field MPT experiments using a phased array have been conducted over the years. In 1992, a joint collaborative group successfully conducted a fuel-free flight experiment using phased-array technology, which was referred to as the MIcrowave Lifted Airplane eXperiment. In 2008, Kobe University (Kyoto, Japan) and a U.S. research group successfully conducted an MPT experiment using a phased array that resulted in power transmission over a distance of 150 km. Furthermore, Kyoto University proposed and demonstrated a magnetron-based phased array and conducted MPT from an airship to the ground in spring 2009. In FY2010, Kyoto University developed new highly efficient phased arrays for MPT and solar power satellites. This study provides an overview of past and present Japanese MPT experiments using phased-array technologies.

Optical Beam-Steering

Physics Antenna arrays have long been used for communication and sensing purposes. In the microwave and radio wavelength regime of the electromagnetic spectrum, arrays of antennas in which the phase and amplitude input to each element is varied can provide tailored beam profiles with controlled directionality. Applications can be found across many fields, from target tracking and guidance to astronomy and weather observations. Carrying over the principles of phased-array antenna technology, DeRose et al. have developed an optical phased array based on metallic nanoemitters patterned on a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)–compatible substrate. With the input to each antenna element fed in using a coupled waveguide integrated with a phase shifter, they show that electrical control of the phase results in wide-angle beam-steering capability. Operating at near-infrared wavelength, the ability to manipulate an optical beam over a two-dimensional area should find use in compact high-speed communication over free space. Opt. Express 21 , 5198 (2013).

A Novel Testing System of Welds in Tube Nodes Based on Ultrasonic Phased Array Technology

A novel automatic ultrasonic system used for the inspection of welds in T nodes is developed, in which a linear phased array transducer using electronic scan is adopted. This paper introduces the testing method of welds in T nodes, and the structure of the whole testing system. Optimization of array transducer has been also pursued based on a mathematical model of acoustic field for linear phased array. The experimental results have proved that the phased array transducer system had the same detectability as that of conventional ultrasonic transducer system, but the component part of the system can be simplified greatly, and the testing flexibility and the testing speed can be improved greatly. It provides an excellent base for the further research and development of the defect inspection of welds in TKY nodes.

IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques special issue on phased-array technology

IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques special issue on phased-array technology

IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques: Special Issue on Phased-Array Technology

IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques: Special Issue on Phased-Array Technology

Industrial Ultrasonic Imaging Based on Compressed Sensing

Industrial ultrasonic imaging system based on compressed sensing(IUICS),is still lack of available implementation, due to its difficulty in hardware realization.However,thanks to the recent finite rate of innovation and ultrasonic phased array technology,it is possible to apply Compressive Sensing framework to industrial ultrasonic imaging system.In this paper,we propose an available scheme of industrial ultrasonic imaging,which includes the sampling of signal,reconstruction algorithm and its physical structure, based on Compressed Sensing.

Special issue on Phased-Array Technology

Special issue on Phased-Array Technology

Special issue on Phased-Array Technology

Special issue on Phased-Array Technology