JPS60168009A - Aligning method of transmission type ultrasonic microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a transmission layer ultrasound microscope, and in particular to alignment of a transmission layer ultrasound microscope suitable for aligning a focused ultrasound generating element and an ultrasound collecting element. It is about the method.

[Background of the invention]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of a transmission layer ultrasound microscope. 1 is high frequency 31! - vibrator, 2 is a focused ultrasonic wave generating element on the transmitting side, and 3 is an ultrasonic collecting element on the receiving side.The focused ultrasonic generating element 2 or the ultrasonic collecting element 3 is generally an acoustic lens or the like. A concave ultrasonic transducer or the like is used. 4 is an ultrasonic propagation medium such as water; 5 is a sample holding table; 6 is a sample; 7 is a scanning device that moves the sample holding table 5 in the X and Y directions shown; 8 is a scanning circuit that controls the scanning device 7; 9 is a receiving circuit that receives the output from the ultrasonic sound collecting element 3 on the receiving side, and ]0 is a display device.

In the ultrasonic microscope device shown in FIG. 1, first, the focused ultrasound waves emitted from the focused ultrasound generating element 2 on the transmitting side are placed at a confocal position with the focused ultrasound generating element 2 on the transmitting side. The sound is collected by the ultrasonic sound collecting element 3 placed on the receiving side and converted into an electrical signal. Here, the sound detection surface of the sample 6 is positioned at the focal point of the focused ultrasound generating element 2, and the sample holding table 5
If the ultrasonic beam is moved little by little in the Y direction instead of vibrating in the X direction, the ultrasonic beam will relatively scan the sample surface. When the ultrasonic beam passes through the sample 6, it undergoes changes in amplitude and phase, so the electron beam of the CRT in the display device AIO is swept in correspondence with each point on the sample surface through which the ultrasonic beam passes. By applying brightness modulation according to the output signal of the ultrasonic sound collecting element 3, a two-dimensional microscopic image can be obtained on the CRT.

By the way, in the above-mentioned transmission type ultrasound microscope device, the task of arranging the focused ultrasound generating element on the transmitting side and the ultrasound collecting element on the receiving side on the confocal axis is quite complicated and requires effort. Was. For example, at 100MHz, the azimuth resolution is 4
If the distance is about 0 μm, the observed image obtained will be quite difficult to see if the position is shifted by 10 μm.

[Purpose of the invention]

An object of the present invention is to improve the conventional drawbacks, and provide a method that facilitates centering work by using steel balls that match the spherical lens portions of a focused ultrasound generating element and an ultrasound collecting element. There is a particular thing.

[Summary of the invention] A transmission ultrasound microscope uses a frequency of several hundred MHz or less, and the material of the focused ultrasound generating element and the ultrasound collecting element is a material capable of moderate plastic deformation, such as material A. For machining concave spherical lens parts, steel balls can be used that can relatively easily achieve ultra-precision accuracy, making it possible to form precise concave spherical surfaces. The present invention enables easy alignment work by using the ultra-precision steel ball as an alignment jig.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. This basic configuration is the same as that shown in FIG.

The focused ultrasonic wave generating element 103 and the ultrasonic sound collecting element 10] are assembled by holders +04 and ]02, respectively. The holder 104 is fixed to an arm 108 that has a mechanism (not shown) that allows earthwork movement of the entire device. An ultra-precision steel ball 110 used in machining the spherical lens part is set in close contact with the spherical lens part of the focused ultrasound generating element 103, and the steel ball 110 is held in a steel ball holder 111 and screwed.
12 to the arm 108. Holder】0
2 is the holder] 02 is the adjustment screw that provides a movable gap]
06, and the bracket 105 is attached to the Z stage 109 by a fixing screw 107.
is fixed. The Z stage 109 has μ+ in two directions.
It uses a mechanism that allows zero movement at position n741, and is attached to AlO3.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the ultrasonic sound collecting element 101 has been lowered from the state shown in FIG. 2 by the Z stage 109 and brought into close contact with the steel ball J10. When aligning, use the ultrasonic sound collecting element 1
01 is lowered to flfnπ where it hits the steel ball 110, and when the gap between the spherical lens part of the ultrasonic sound collecting element 101 and the steel ball 1]0 becomes uniform, it is further lowered to reach r#.
The holder 102 is fixed to the bracket 05 at that position. To be sure, please
After applying lubricant to the sliding motion between 02 and the bracket 105, and visually confirming that the gap between the spherical lens part of the ultrasonic sound collecting element 10 and the steel ball 110 has become uniform to some extent,
By descending as it is, predetermined alignment becomes possible automatically.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the steel balls used for manufacturing the spherical lens part can be used as they are for alignment work, which has been a difficult point due to the configuration of a transmission ultrasound microscope, and the alignment work can be easily performed. .

Note that although a holder was used in the above embodiment, the same effect can be obtained using only steel balls, and therefore, the steel balls used for machining the spherical lens portion can be used as they are.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, there is an effect that alignment of the focused ultrasound generating element and the ultrasound collecting element can be easily performed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of a transmission ultrasound microscope, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing its alignment state. 101... Ultrasonic sound collecting element, 102, 104...
...Holder, 103...Focused ultrasound generating element, 1゜5...Bracket, ]08...
Arm, 110...Steel ball. 1 figure 22 figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A focused ultrasound generating element for irradiating focused ultrasound onto an object to be detected, and an ultrasonic sound collecting element for detecting ultrasonic energy changed inside the object in a minute part of the object. A transmission layer ultrasonic microscope characterized in that a steel ball is brought into close contact with the spherical lens portion of one element, and the spherical lens portion of the other element is brought into close contact with the steel ball. alignment method.