A method including providing an acoustic resonator having an absorption element with a surface portion, providing a sample fluid or a fluid mixture containing the sample fluid with at least one absorption fluid or particles such that the acoustic resonator is filled with the same, the surface portion of the absorption element being in contact with the sample fluid. Irradiating the surface portion of the absorption element with a first electromagnetic radiation such that the absorption element at least partly absorbs the first electromagnetic radiation in the region of the surface portion, or irradiating the fluid mixture with a first electromagnetic radiation such that the absorption fluid or the absorption particles at least partly absorb(s) the first electromagnetic radiation, and so, by way of the absorption, pressure energy is generated in the sample fluid or the fluid mixture, with the first electromagnetic radiation being amplitude modulated or frequency modulated with a modulation frequency. Measuring an acoustic response signal from the acoustic resonator. Determining at least one amplitude or phase of the acoustic response signal.

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.

A measuring device for measuring parameters of a piezoelectric crystal onto which a thin film of material is deposited (under vacuum). The crystal includes two spaced-apart electrodes. A frequency generator is adapted to generate an oscillator signal at a specified output frequency. A measuring amplifier is adapted to apply the oscillator signal as a drive signal to one of the electrodes of the crystal and to provide a crystal output signal in response to the drive signal. A quadrature demodulator is adapted to down convert the crystal output signal and to provide an in-phase output signal and a quadrature output signal. A computation unit is adapted to determine one or more parameters of the crystal based on the in-phase output signal and the quadrature output signal. Furthermore, there is provided a corresponding measuring method as well as to thin-film deposition systems (including a vacuum chamber) with such a device and methods for controlling such systems.

Systems and methods of determining physical conditions of a battery, such as state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH), quality of construction, defect, or failure state include driving two or more acoustic signals of two or more amplitudes, each acoustic signal having two or more frequencies, into the battery and detecting vibrations generated in the battery based on the two or more acoustic signals. Nonlinear response characteristics of the battery for the two or more acoustic signals are determined from the detected vibrations. The physical conditions of the battery are determined based at least in part on the nonlinear response characteristics, using nonlinear acoustic resonance spectroscopy (NARS) or nonlinear resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (NRUS).

Systems and methods for monitoring the condition of ultrasonic transducers and ultrasonic probes used in non-destructive testing are provided. In one aspect, a degree of deterioration and end of life of an ultrasonic transducer can be estimated based upon measured environmental and/or operating parameters of the ultrasonic transducer. In another aspect, testing parameters acquired by a single ultrasonic probe or different ultrasonic probes can be measured and analyzed to identify deterioration of an ultrasonic probe.

A power supply connected to an ultrasonic treatment instrument. The power supply includes an oscillator, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and a drive circuit. The oscillator generates a basic clock. The FPGA receives the basic clock generated by the oscillator. The FPGA generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) wave for driving a ultrasonic transducer based on the basic clock. The drive circuit is connected to the FPGA, and digitally amplifies the PWM wave to output the amplified PWM wave. The FPGA outputs the PWM wave when an output signal for driving the ultrasonic treatment instrument is input, and the PWM wave is modulated by comparing a value of first data representing a sine wave in constant current control with a value of second data representing a reference wave. The FPGA outputs a rectangular wave with a predetermined duty ratio when the output signal is not input.

A device and method for analyzing structures within a medium. The device may include: at least one acoustic signal transmitter and acoustic signal receiver configured to output an acoustic signal and to receive an acoustic signal; an analyzer configured to analyze received acoustic data; a signal modifier configured to modify the acoustic signal of the acoustic signal transmitter or acoustic signal receiver; and control circuitry for controlling analysis of the structure. The control circuitry is configured to: initiate analysis of a first portion of the structure by controlling the signal modifier to apply a signal modification to the transmitter or the receiver to modify respective acoustic signals according to first modification data; and initiate analysis of a second portion of the structure by controlling the signal modifier to apply a signal modification to the transmitter or the receiver to modify respective acoustic signals according to second modification data.

A fluid sensor includes a housing and a thermal emitter in the housing to emit first thermal radiation into a detection volume of the housing at a first power level during a measurement interval and emit the first thermal radiation at a reduced first power level or not emit said first thermal radiation at all during an intermediate interval disposed outside of the measurement interval. The fluid sensor includes a measuring element in the detection volume to receive a radiation signal during the measurement interval. The fluid sensor includes a second thermal emitter in the housing to emit second thermal radiation at a second power level into the detection volume during the intermediate interval such that a thermal oscillation of thermal radiation in relation to an overall power level of the thermal radiation in the detection volume is at most 50% during the measurement interval and the intermediate interval.

The invention relates to non-destructive ultrasonic testing of flat-bottom rails, laid on track, and can be used for detection of defects in tips of the rail foot on aluminothermic welded joints, performed by the intermediate casting method.

During the ultrasonic testing of aluminothermic welded joints, at least two zones for ultrasonic testing were determined with selecting one of at least two zones on the weld bead (reinforcing bead) from the lateral surface of the tip of the rail foot. At least two specific zones are grinded on the weld collar (reinforcing collar) with creation of at least two flat areas, which are able to ensure acoustic contact. The ultrasonic transducer is placed on every flat area of the collar, which is connected to at least one ultrasonic flaw detector. Ultrasonic testing of weld is performed using at least one flaw detector Delta-method or echo-method.

As a result of the invention implementation, there is no any blind zone in the base of the rail welded joint. The described invention ensures higher accuracy in detection of welds defects within the tips of the rail foot area. 2 z.p. f-ly, 8 il.

The disclosure relates to a method for determining and/or monitoring the breakdown voltage of a transformer oil, comprising the steps of a) performing an acoustic impedance measurement of the transformer oil, the impedance of a medium partially or entirely disposed in the transformer oil and capable of naturally vibrating and/or transmitting vibrations to the transformer oil is determined in at least one frequency band of defined frequency width; and b) calculating a resonator quality factor for the frequency band based on the determination performed in step a); and c) calculating an acoustic disbalance of the transformer oil based on the calculation performed in step b); and d) ascertaining the breakdown voltage of the transformer oil based on the calculation performed in step c).

Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a device (100, 200) for determining and/or monitoring the breakdown voltage of a transformer oil.