FEM Simulation for ‘Pulse-Echo’ Performances of an Ultrasound Imaging Linear Probe

L. Spicci[1]
[1]Esaote SpA, Florence, Italy
Published in 2013

Pulse-echo FEM simulation is seldom found in literature for ultrasound imaging array probes, since the complete modeling of such device is extremely complicated. Nevertheless, the 2D FEM described in the present work was successful, thanks to the following design procedure (see figure): Two piezoacoustic models were employed, one for transmission of the pressure wave into the acoustic domain, one for reception. The far field pressure data output from the transmit FEM was exported and input as amplitude of an incident plane wave on the acoustic boundary of the ‘receive’ model, in order to get the final echo-voltage on the array piezoelement. Finally, IFFT algorithm (MATLAB®) is used to recover the pulse-echo voltage waveform and compare it to the measured one.