Some embodiments of the invention relate to an applicator for applying ultrasound energy to a tissue volume, comprising: an array comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducers, the transducers arranged side by side, the transducers configured to emit unfocused ultrasound energy suitable to thermally damage at least a portion of the tissue volume, each of the transducers comprising a coating thin enough so as not to substantially affect heat transfer via the coating to the tissue; and a cooling module configured to apply cooling via the transducers to prevent overheating of a surface of the tissue volume being contacted by the transducers.

Some embodiments of the invention relate to an applicator for applying ultrasound energy to a tissue volume, comprising: an array comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducers, the transducers arranged side by side, the transducers configured to emit unfocused ultrasound energy suitable to thermally damage at least a portion of the tissue volume, each of the transducers comprising a coating thin enough so as not to substantially affect heat transfer via the coating to the tissue; and a cooling module configured to apply cooling via the transducers to prevent overheating of a surface of the tissue volume being contacted by the transducers.

A system for controlling damages in cleaning a semiconductor wafer comprising features of patterned structures, the system comprising: a wafer holder for temporary restraining a semiconductor wafer during a cleaning process; an inlet for delivering a cleaning liquid over a surface of the semiconductor wafer; a sonic generator configured to alternately operate at a first frequency and a first power level for a first predetermined period of time and at a second frequency and a second power level for a second predetermined period of time, to impart sonic energy to the cleaning liquid, the first predetermined period of time and the second predetermined period of time consecutively following one another; and a controller programmed to provide the cleaning parameters, wherein at least one of the cleaning parameters is determined such that a percentage of damaged features as a result of the imparting sonic energy is lower than a predetermined threshold.

An ultrasonic bonding apparatus includes an ultrasonic bonding machine having an ultrasonic tool for applying an ultrasonic wave to a bonding target member mounted on a fixed object fixed to a jig, while pressing a bonding member against the bonding target member; and a bonding inspection apparatus for inspecting a bonding quality of the bonding target member and the bonding member. The bonding inspection apparatus includes: a bonded-state measuring device for detecting a vibration in the jig or a housing of the ultrasonic bonding machine equipped with the jig, to thereby output a detection signal; and a bonded-state determination device for determining, in a bonding process for the bonding target member and the bonding member, a bonded state between the bonding target member and the bonding member on the basis of the detection signal outputted by the bonded-state measuring device.

The present disclosure relates to an ultrasound elastography system and method. The system may include a transmitting/receiving unit which transmits ultrasound pulses to a target and receives ultrasound echoes from the target to obtain the ultrasound echo signals; an imaging unit which processes the ultrasound echo signals and displays the obtained image; and an analysis unit which detects a region of interest and a shell region selected by an operator in the image, calculate elasticity parameters in a reference region and the shell region respectively, and analyzes the elasticity parameters to obtain an analysis result.

The present disclosure relates to an ultrasound elastography system and method. The system may include a transmitting/receiving unit which transmits ultrasound pulses to a target and receives ultrasound echoes from the target to obtain the ultrasound echo signals; an imaging unit which processes the ultrasound echo signals and displays the obtained image; and an analysis unit which detects a region of interest and a shell region selected by an operator in the image, calculate elasticity parameters in a reference region and the shell region respectively, and analyzes the elasticity parameters to obtain an analysis result.

An ultrasonic cutting tool for use in an ultrasonic instrument, the tool being a blade manufactured from a tubular blank by flattening a section of the blank. The blade includes a flat section designed to be used for cutting, a tubular section, and a transition section joining the flat section to the tubular section. The tubular section is joined to or includes an attachment section for attaching the blade to an ultrasonic generator and serving as a conduit to bring a cooling fluid to the distal end or to suck particles into the hand tool.

In an ultrasound-assisted method, in each of at least two sonotrode arms (8, 9) of a sonotrode (7) that is fixed in a protruding manner, said sonotrode arms being connected to each other by means of a respective joint (10) in each case, a respective ultrasonic wave that is transverse to the protrusion direction and that oscillates in a resonance mode is produced, wherein ultrasonic waves superposed in the at least one joint (10) and oscillating in the sonotrode arms (8, 9) of the joint (10) oscillate at a phase offset from each other, and the oscillation planes of the superposed ultrasonic waves are parallel to each other. An ultrasonic system suitable for carrying out the method comprises an ultrasound source (1), a sonotrode (7) protruding from a sonotrode retainer (6), wherein the sonotrode (7) has at least two sonotrode arms (8, 9), which are connected to each other by means of a respective joint (10) in each case and of which at least two produce different resonance modes under ultrasonic excitation, and ultrasonic waves superposed in the at least one joint (10) and oscillating in the sonotrode arms (8, 9) of the joint (10) oscillate at a phase offset from each other. The invention further relates to a corresponding sonotrode (7).

In an ultrasound-assisted method, in each of at least two sonotrode arms (8, 9) of a sonotrode (7) that is fixed in a protruding manner, said sonotrode arms being connected to each other by means of a respective joint (10) in each case, a respective ultrasonic wave that is transverse to the protrusion direction and that oscillates in a resonance mode is produced, wherein ultrasonic waves superposed in the at least one joint (10) and oscillating in the sonotrode arms (8, 9) of the joint (10) oscillate at a phase offset from each other, and the oscillation planes of the superposed ultrasonic waves are parallel to each other. An ultrasonic system suitable for carrying out the method comprises an ultrasound source (1), a sonotrode (7) protruding from a sonotrode retainer (6), wherein the sonotrode (7) has at least two sonotrode arms (8, 9), which are connected to each other by means of a respective joint (10) in each case and of which at least two produce different resonance modes under ultrasonic excitation, and ultrasonic waves superposed in the at least one joint (10) and oscillating in the sonotrode arms (8, 9) of the joint (10) oscillate at a phase offset from each other. The invention further relates to a corresponding sonotrode (7).

An ultrasonic system for treating a submerged surface of a target structure, the system including: an ultrasonic generator for generating electrical energy to drive first and second ultrasonic transducers, the electrical energy including at least two different frequencies including a first and second operation frequency; first ultrasonic transducers configured to be mounted as a first array to the target structure, and connectable to the ultrasonic generator and operable to generate a first ultrasound signal from the first operation frequency; and second ultrasonic transducers configured to be mounted as a second array to the target structure, and connectable to the ultrasonic generator and operable to generate a second ultrasound signal from the second operation frequency, wherein the first and second ultrasonic transducers are spaceable from one another to produce guided ultrasonic waveforms through the target structure including heterodyned frequencies from the first ultrasound signal and the second ultrasound signal.