Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno

Sonaxis S.a.

Paul Louis Maria Joseph Van Neer

Maarten Hubertus Van Es

Daniele Piras

Hamed Sadeghian Marnani

Arno Willem Frederik Volker

Hylke Broer Akkerman

Peter Johan Harmsma

Benoit Andre Jacques Quesson

Gerwin Hermanus Gelinck

Antonius Maria Bernardus Van Mol

Martinus Cornelius Johannes Maria Van Riel

Rutger Meijer Timmerman Thijssen

Marcus Johannes Van Der Lans

Robert Karl Altmann

Kodai Hatakeyama

Laurent Fillinger

Maurits Sebastiaan Van Der Heiden

Lun Kai Cheng

Teunis Cornelis Van Den Dool

Fokko Pieter Wieringa

Gert-Jan Adriaan Van Groenestijn

Bart Michiel De Boer

Arthur Perry Berkhoff

Huibert Blokland

Abbas Mohtashami

Jan-Laurens Pieter Jacobus Van Der Steen

Erwin Johannes Martinus Giling

Sophie Crozat

Albert Jos Jan Marie Van Breemen

Henry Simon Dol

Koen Cornelis Hubertus Blom

Mark Kevan Prior

Guillaume Lucien Gérard Pierre

Francois Louis Denis Marie Bouvet

Gerrit Blacquiere

Uilke Stelwagen

Sri Ram Shankar Rajadurai

Benoit André Jacques Quesson

Laurens Christiaan Johannes Maria Peters

Roy Gerardus Franciscus Verbeek

An ultrasonic transducer is described that includes a stack of at least two membranes attached to a substrate. An electric circuit is coupled to the electrodes with a controller configured to apply a first electric signal to a first electrode on the first membrane, and a different, second electric signal to a second electrode on the second membrane. The first and second electric signals are configured to apply a varying voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode during a respective vibration cycle of the membranes. The first electrode on the first membrane is configured to interact with the second electrode on the second membrane by a varying electrostatic force during the respective vibration cycle depending on the varying voltage.

Ultrasonic transducer with stacked membranes

The present document relates to a method of performing acoustic scanning probe microscopy for imaging structures underneath a substrate surface, comprising: applying an acoustic input signal to the substrate having a frequency above 1 gigahertz, detecting a return signal, and analyzing the return signal for obtaining information on the embedded structures. The step of applying the acoustic input signal comprises applying a plurality of acoustic signal components which each include a selected frequency. The step of detecting includes detecting a response signal for each of the plurality of acoustic signal components. The frequencies are selected such that the components provide a composite signal being a pulse signal of limited time duration. The invention is further directed at a scanning probe microscopy system and a computer program product.

Method, system and computer program for performing acoustic scanning probe microscopy

The photonic integrated device for converting a light signal into sound comprises—a substrate having a substrate surface, an optical waveguide on the substrate surface, a photo-acoustic conversion body, comprising at least one volume of fractionally light absorbing material or formed entirely of fractionally light absorbing material, wherein a width of the photo-acoustic conversion body is greater than a width of the optical waveguide and means for enhancing distribution of light from the optical waveguide over the photo-acoustic conversion body.

Photonic integrated device for converting a light signal into sound via a solid photo-acoustic converter

An acoustic device () comprises an array of acoustic membranes () formed on a foil (). Each of the acoustic membranes () is configured to vibrate at a resonance frequency (Fr) of the acoustic membranes () for generating respective acoustic waves (W,W,W,W). Relative phases (ΔΦ) are determined at which the acoustic membranes () are actuated for generating a predetermined interference pattern (C) between the acoustic waves (W,W,W,W). A lamb wavelength (As) is determined of lamb waves (Ws) at the resonance frequency (Fr) travelling through intermediate sections (lOi, lOj) of the foil () between adjacent acoustic membranes (). Distances (X,X) of the intermediate sections () between the adjacent acoustic membranes () in the layout are determined in accordance with the relative phases (ΔΦ) and the lamb wavelength (λs) for having the lamb waves (Ws), generated by one acoustic membrane (), arrive in phase with an adjacent acoustic membrane ().

Optimization of an acoustic membrane array

The photonic integrated device comprises a substrate, a plurality of mechanical resonator structures on a surface of the substrate, exposed to receive sound waves from outside the device; a plurality of sensing optical waveguides, each sensing optical waveguide at least partly mechanically coupled to at least one of the mechanical resonator structures, or a sensing optical waveguide that is at least partly mechanically coupled to all of the mechanical resonator structures; an input optical waveguide on the surface of the substrate, coupled to the plurality of sensing optical waveguides or the single sensing optical waveguide, for supplying light to the plurality of sensing optical waveguides or the single sensing optical waveguide; at least one output optical waveguide on the surface of the substrate, coupled to the plurality of sensing optical waveguides or the single sensing optical waveguide, for collecting light from the plurality of sensing optical waveguides or the single sensing optical waveguide that has been affected by vibration of plurality of mechanical resonator structures.

Photonic integrated device for converting sound into a modulation of properties of light in the device

A communication system () comprising a first and a second underwater wearable device to be worn by a swimmer at mutually distant locations is disclosed herein. The communication system is configured to derive information pertaining to the swimmer from properties of a version of the acoustic signal transmitted from a first communication module of the first underwater wearable device to a second communication module of the second underwater wearable device.

Underwater wearable device, communication system comprising the same and communication method

The present invention relates to a method of performing subsurface imaging of embedded structures in a substrate underneath a substrate surface, the method comprising the steps of applying, using a signal application actuator, an acoustic input signal to the substrate, detecting, using a vibration sensor, a return signal from the substrate and analyzing the return signal for obtaining information on the embedded structures, for enabling imaging thereof wherein the step of applying the acoustic input signal comprises applying a discontinuous signal of an acoustic signal component to the substrate, the acoustic signal component having a frequency above 1 gigahertz, such that the return signal includes a scattered fraction of the discontinuous signal scattered from the embedded structures. The invention further relates to a system.

Method of and system for performing subsurface imaging using vibration sensing

An ultrasound sub-surface probe microscopy device () is provided comprising a stage (), a signal generator (), a scanning head (), a signal processor () and a scanning mechanism (). In use, the stage () carries a sample () and the scanning mechanism () provides for a relative displacement between the sample () and the scanning head (), along the surface of the sample. The scanning head () comprises an actuator () configured to generate in response to a drive signal (S) from the signal generator () an ultrasound acoustic input signal (I). The generated ultrasound acoustic input signal (I) has at least one acoustic input signal component (I) with a first angular frequency (ω). The scanning head () further comprises a tip () to transmit the acoustic input signal (I) through a tip-sample interface () as an acoustic wave (W) into the sample. Due to a non-linear interaction in the tip-sample interface () at least one up mixed acoustic signal component (W) in said acoustic wave that has a second angular frequency (ω) higher than the first angular frequency (ω) Contrary to known approaches, the sensor signal (S) provided by the sensor facility is indicative for a contribution (W') of the at least one up mixed acoustic signal component in reflections (W′) of the acoustic wave within the sample (). Therewith a relatively high resolution can be achieved with which subsurface features can be detected.

Ultrasound sub-surface probe microscopy device and corresponding method

A device () and method for adhering by suction to a target surface (). The device has a substrate () with a contact surface () for contacting the device () to the target surface (). A plurality of pocket () are formed by respective pocket surfaces () concavely extending into the contact surface (). The pockets () have an open side () facing and being closed off by the target surface (). A flexible membrane () forms at least part of the pocket surface (). An actuator () is configured to actuate the flexible membrane (). A one-way valve () through the pocket surface () is configured to direct a contents of the pocket () via the one-way valve () to an environment ().

Configurable adhesive device and method

Ultrasonic measurements of fluid properties are performed with the aid of an optical fiber or a package of optical fibers by exciting ultrasound waves at a first location along the optical fiber in the fluid by means of light from the optical fiber and detecting an effect of the ultrasound waves on light reflection or propagation in the optical fiber and/or a further optical fiber in the package at a second location along the optical fiber or at the end of the optical fiber.

Device and method for performing ultrasonic measurements of fluid properties

The present invention relates to a heterodyne scanning probe microscopy method for imaging structures on or below the surface of a sample, the method including applying, using a transducer, an acoustic input signal to the sample sensing, using a probe including a probe tip in contact with the surface, an acoustic output signal, wherein the acoustic output signal is representative of acoustic surface waves induced by the acoustic input signal wherein the acoustic input signal comprises at least a first signal component having a frequency above 1 gigahertz, and wherein for detecting of the acoustic output signal the method comprises a step of applying a further acoustic input signal to at least one of the probe or the sample for obtaining a mixed acoustic signal, the further acoustic input signal including at least a second signal component having a frequency above 1 gigahertz, wherein the mixed acoustic signal comprises a third signal component having a frequency equal to a difference between the first frequency and the second frequency, wherein the frequency of the third signal component is below 1 gigahertz.

Heterodyne scanning probe microscopy method and system

A cantilever () for an ultrasound acoustic microscopy device is provided comprising a transmission tip () to contact a sample () to therewith transmit an ultrasound acoustic signal as an ultrasound acoustic wave into the sample. The cantilever further comprises a reception tip () separate from the transmission tip () to contact the sample to receive an acoustic signal resulting from reflections of the ultrasound wave from within the sample.

Cantilever, ultrasound acoustic microscopy device comprising the cantilever, method of using the same and lithographic system including the same

A method and system for controlling an array of piezoelectric transducers (). Respective driving signals (Vn) are applied to the transducers. The driving signals (Vn) comprise an alternating component (A) oscillating at one or more driving frequencies to cause corresponding vibrations in the transducers for generating acoustic waves (Wn). One or more of the driving signals (Vn) are offset by a respective bias voltage (Bn). The bias voltage (Bn) is controlled to reduce a difference in resonance frequencies between the transducers. To eliminate any remaining difference, the alternating component (A) to at least a subset of the transducers () is periodically reset. In this way the phases of the resulting acoustic waves (W,W) can be synchronized.

Control of a piezoelectric transducer array

The present document relates to a heterodyne scanning probe microscopy (SPM) method for subsurface imaging, and includes: applying an acoustic input signal to a sample and sensing an acoustic output signal using a probe. The acoustic input signal comprises a plurality of signal components at unique frequencies, including a carrier frequency and at least two excitation frequencies. The carrier frequency and the excitation frequencies form a group of frequencies, which are distributed with an equal difference frequency between each two subsequent frequencies of the group. The difference frequency is below a sensitivity threshold frequency of the cantilever for enabling sensing of the acoustic output signal. The document also describes an SPM system.

Heterodyne scanning probe microscopy method and scanning probe microscopy system

A method and system for performing subsurface atomic force microscopy measurements, the system comprising: a signal source for generating an drive signal; a transducer configured to receive the drive signal for converting the drive signal into vibrational waves and coupling said vibrational waves into a stack comprising a sample for interaction with subsurface features within said sample; cantilever tip for contacting the sample for measuring surface displacement resulting from the vibrational waves to determine subsurface features; wherein the system includes a measurement device for measuring a measurement signal returning from the transducer during and/or in between the subsurface atomic force microscopy measurements.

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Bergschenhoek, Netherlands

Paul Louis Maria Joseph Van Neer