Ultrasound - a brief introduction

Ultrasound is employed both by science and technology for a variety of applications. In the following, the physical basics of ultrasound will be briefly described.

Terms

Compressional waves are termed as sound that can expand in gasses, fluids and solids but not in the vacuum. The cause is always an acoustic source that effects a progagating, mechanical deformation of the transmitting medium.

The further effects of sound in the propagating medium in essence depend on waveform, intensity of source, and kind of medium. Only longitudinal waves will progagate in fluids and gases which means that sound waves cause a periodic phase of pressure and drawing in direction of oscillation.

In acoustics, we differentiate the following frequency ranges:

Ultrasound Ultrasound is termed as sound waves beyond the limit of audibility of man in a range of about 16 kHz to 1 GHz. Moreover, ultrasound can be generated with much more energy, “louder” than audible sound.

For applications with ultrasound, there is a coarse differentiation into low-signal and power sound applications

Yet there are applications that do not fit into this scheme:
Medical therapy requires low frequencies at low power, and in the wafer industry high power at high frequencies is required.

BANDELIN electronic is specialist in the following fields of application:

Cleaning - Homogenization - Medical Therapy