Generating an Adjustable Focused Field With an Annular Shape Using a Cylindrical Acoustic Transducer Array

We present the focusing structure of a cylindrical acoustic transducer array consisting of many annular piezoelectric wafer elements operating in the radial vibration mode. Using Huygens' principle, we calculated the delay parameters associated with the excitation signal of each element. Given the respective delay rules, the array transducer produces an adjustable acoustic focused field in the form of a 3-D circular ring. From a theoretical analysis, we designed and fabricated an array transducer with 64 elements and measured its actual field distribution. Simulation and actual experimental results show that the proposed circular cylindrical array transducer controls the annular acoustic focused field well. The sound field intensity of the annular focus region is related to the number of excited array elements, and the radial and axial positions of the annular focus region obey the delay rules of the excitation signal. These acoustic field control methods may be applied in ultrasound detection when scanning a circular sound field.