DESIGN OF SPIKE PULSER FOR ULTRASONIC APPLICATIONS

Abstract

The spike pulser serves the purpose of generating high-energy pulses with precise characteristics necessary to excite ultrasonic transducers effectively. It consists of essential elements including an amplifier stage, timing/control circuitry, and power supply components. By receiving an input signal, typically in the form of pulses or square waves, the spike pulser triggers the production of high-energy pulses with specific timing and amplitude properties. In the realm of ultrasonic imaging, the spike pulser plays a vital role in exciting the transducer, which converts electrical energy into ultrasonic waves that propagate through the target medium. The resulting echoes from the medium are subsequently received and processed to produce detailed images of internal structures or potential defects. The pulse characteristics of the spike pulser, including amplitude, duration, and repetition rate, significantly impact the quality and resolution of the resulting ultrasound images. Non-destructive testing and industrial applications also heavily rely on the spike pulser to assess the integrity of materials. By transmitting ultrasonic waves and detecting their reflections, the spike pulser facilitates flaw detection, identification of cracks, and evaluation of material properties. Its ability to generate high-energy pulses enables the detection of subtle flaws and the accurate characterization of materials. This thesis discusses the design and simulation of a high-voltage spike pulser that can deliver voltage up to 650V . The pulse width of the input signal given to the spike pulser is in range from 20ns to 100000ns. Also discussed were power consumed, the amplitude of the spike at the output of spike pulser, and current at load for different pulse widths of input signal given to spike pulser.