Expanding imaging volume for high-resolution 3D phased array imaging based on ultra-multiple laser scanning

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Lukacs, Peter and Fujikawa, Yuto and Yoshikawa, Toshiki and Tanaka, Yuki and Ohara, Yoshikazu (2026) Expanding imaging volume for high-resolution 3D phased array imaging based on ultra-multiple laser scanning. NDT and E International, 162. 103771. ISSN 0963-8695 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ndteint.2026.103771)

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Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonic imaging is a beneficial tool in the field of nondestructive testing. However, currently, technological limitations prevent the widespread adoption of this technique despite the potential to address its various industrial and technological challenges. The piezoelectric and laser ultrasonic system (PLUS) overcomes this technological challenge by utilising a piezoelectric transducer for generation of ultrasonic waves and a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) for their detection. This system enables the realisation of a large and dense two-dimensional matrix array receiver by scanning the LDV on the surface of a test sample, thereby providing ultrahigh-quality 3D ultrasonic imaging capabilities. However, to date, the use of PLUS has been limited to imaging small volumes of test samples that are irradiated with ultrasound generated by a monolithic piezoelectric transducer. In this paper, we propose a new setup, consisting of utilising a virtual source for ultrasonic wave generation, which is realised by introducing a piezoelectric one-dimensional array transducer as a transmitter to the PLUS setup. By numerical simulation, the position of the virtual source is optimised to maximise the imaging volume. The simulation results are experimentally validated, the results of which show great agreement with the simulation results. The width and amplitude of the generated ultrasonic waves are improved by a factor of ∼3 and ∼4.4, respectively. Finally, an imaging study is performed, comparing the imaging capabilities of the proposed methodology, with those of previous implementations of PLUS. The results show a considerable improvement in imaging volume size in the elevation angle and an SNR improvement of ∼8dB.

ORCID iDs

Lukacs, Peter ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6540-6878, Fujikawa, Yuto, Yoshikawa, Toshiki, Tanaka, Yuki and Ohara, Yoshikazu;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)