Advancements in acoustic microscopy

01/01/2002

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, ILL. - Builders of high reliability systems that incorporate commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components can enhance system reliability by using a new type of acoustic microscope system developed by Sonoscan Inc. Based upon C-SAM technology, pulse-echo ultrasound is used nondestructively to identify and image defects.

The new VRM C-SAM system reduces the chance of field failure by sorting out defective components, and helps to identify failure modes so manufacturing processes can be corrected. The system preserves the full three-dimensional matrix of acoustic/structural data on each component so that images can be reconstructed later at any depth level, in any direction (planar or cross-sectional view) and at any acoustic frequency within the pulse frequency band. This capability enables system manufacturers and component suppliers to monitor changes that may occur over time in COTS devices that have been put into service.