The generation and detection of longitudinal guided waves in thin fibers using a conical transformer

This paper describes a technique to couple ultrasonic energy from a piezoceramic disc transducer into a fiber waveguide to induce longitudinal propagation. A polymer cone is utilized to bond the fiber waveguide onto the surface of the disc and to behave as a mechanical transformer, converting lateral displacements at its base into longitudinal displacements at its apex. Wideband finite element analysis (FEA) results are provided to show that the bond efficiently couples the radial modes of a disc transducer into fiber waveguides for longitudinal mode excitation. Furthermore, narrowband FEA is utilized to investigate how the geometry and material properties of the bond and waveguide influence the coupling efficiency. The technique is then quantified in terms of signal-to-coherent noise ratio (SCNR), reflecting its ability to generate the desired longitudinal waveguide mode and reject erroneous modes. Finally, design parameters are outlined for the successful implementation of this technique.