Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.

Takuya Semba

Isao Ishikawa

Hisayoshi Sato

Yasuhiro Tani

A probe for an ultrasonic microscope is disclosed. The probe has an element for radiating and receiving an ultrasonic wave and an acoustic lens for causing an ultrasonic wave, which has been generated by the element, to converge at a point into an ultrasonic beam, whereby the ultrasonic beam is radiated against a sample and a reflected wave of the thus-radiated ultrasonic beam is received by the element to convert the reflected wave into an electrical signal proportional to the reflected wave. A mask is provided on a side of the sample relative to the acoustic lens. The mask is composed of an ultrasonic wave transmitting portion and an ultrasonic wave blocking portion. The transmitting portion permits the transmission of first beam components, which take part in producing an elastic surface wave in one direction in a surface layer of the sample, and second beam components which take no part in the production of any elastic surface wave. The blocking portion substantially reduces the transmission of third beam components, which take part in producing elastic surface waves in directions other than said one direction in the surface layer of the sample.

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Fukuoka, Japan

Takuya Semba