There are provided an ultrasonic apparatus and a beamforming method for the ultrasonic apparatus. According to an aspect, an ultrasonic apparatus includes a 2D array transducer in which a plurality of elements are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns; a signal supplier configured to supply an ultrasonic signal to the 2D array transducer; a first delayer configured to delay the ultrasonic signal to output a plurality of first delay signals corresponding to any one of the number of rows and the number of columns; and a second delayer configured to delay one of the plurality of first delay signals to output a plurality of second delay signals corresponding to the other one of the number of rows and the number of columns, and transmit the plurality of second delay signals to the 2D array transducer.

A signal generator has a generator output. The signal generator is configured to generate first and second signals at the generator output. The first signal has a first frequency, and the second signal has a second frequency. Switching circuitry has a circuitry input and a circuitry output. The circuitry input is coupled to the generator output. The circuitry output is adapted to be coupled to an ultrasonic transducer mechanically coupled with a surface. The switching circuitry is configured to: provide the first signal to the ultrasonic transducer at the first frequency to reduce a fluid droplet on the surface from a first size to a second size; and provide the second signal to the ultrasonic transducer at the second frequency to reduce the fluid droplet from the second size to a third size.

Various embodiments are directed to a method of driving an end effector coupled to an ultrasonic drive system of a surgical instrument. In accordance with the method, a generator is configured to generate at least one time varying electrical signal having a resonant frequency, monitor the resonant frequency of the at least one electrical signal, compare the resonant frequency to a threshold frequency, and trigger a first response of the generator when the resonant frequency crosses the threshold frequency.

Various embodiments are directed to a method of driving an end effector coupled to an ultrasonic drive system of a surgical instrument. In accordance with the method, a generator is configured to generate at least one time varying electrical signal having a resonant frequency, monitor the resonant frequency of the at least one electrical signal, calculate a frequency slope between frequency data points of the time varying electrical signal, where the frequency slope is the change in resonant frequency over time, compare the frequency slope to a threshold frequency slope, and trigger a first response of the generator when the frequency slope crosses the threshold frequency slope.

Lens cleaning systems, drivers and methods to detect faults or degradation in a lens cleaning system, including a controller to control a lens transducer drive signal frequency to vibrate the lens in a frequency range of interest and measure frequency response values according to driver feedback signals, and to compare the measured frequency response values to baseline frequency response values for a healthy system, and to selectively determine the existence of a fault or degradation in the lens cleaning system according to dissimilarities between the measured frequency response values and the baseline frequency response values.

Methods and apparatus for ultrasonic lens cleaner using configurable filter banks are disclosed. In certain described examples, the methods and apparatus can expel fluid from a droplet on an optical surface using an ultrasonic transducer mechanically coupled to the optical surface and having first and second resonant frequency bands.

Methods and apparatus for using two stage ultrasonic lens cleaning for water removal are disclosed. An apparatus can expel fluid from a droplet on an optical surface using an ultrasonic transducer mechanically coupled to the optical surface and having first and second resonant frequency bands. A signal generator can generate a first signal including a first frequency to be coupled with the ultrasonic transducer mechanically coupled to the surface, and can generate a second signal including a second frequency to be coupled with the ultrasonic transducer mechanically coupled to the surface. Switching circuitry can activate the ultrasonic transducer at the first frequency to reduce the droplet from a first size to a second size, and to activate the ultrasonic transducer at the second frequency to reduce the droplet from the second size to a third size.

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.

A method for controlling damages in cleaning a semiconductor wafer comprising features of patterned structures, the method comprising: delivering a cleaning liquid over a surface of a semiconductor wafer during a cleaning process; and imparting sonic energy to the cleaning liquid from a sonic transducer during the cleaning process, wherein power is alternately supplied to the sonic transducer 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, the first predetermined period of time and the second predetermined period of time consecutively following one another, 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.

A generator comprising an interface and a control circuit is disclosed. The interface is to electrically couple to an ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising a switch. The switch is configurable between a first switch state and a second switch state. The control circuit is to provide a continuous drive signal to the ultrasonic surgical instrument based on the switch being in the first switch state. The control circuit is to provide a pulsed drive signal to the ultrasonic surgical instrument based on the switch being in the second switch state.