JPS6098356A - Water injecting device of acoustic lens for ultrasonic microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To inject water easily and surely by forming a through hole or a groove, which reaches the surface of an acoustic lens, in the acoustic lens and injecting water to the surface of the lens through the through hole or the groove. CONSTITUTION:A holding plate 24 to which a sample 23 is fixed with an adhesive or the like is placed on a stage 25, and the stage 25 is so moved that the sample 23 is placed just under a spherical lens part 27a. Thereafter, when a piston-shaped pressing part 35a of an injector 35 is pressed, filled-up water 31 is sent to a recessed part of the spherical lens part 27a through a tube 34 and a through hole 32. Air in the recessed part is discharged gradually by this water 31, and the space between the sample 23 and the spherical lens part 27a is filled up only with water 31 without air, and thus, the water injecting operation is completed easily. An impulsive high frequency is impressed to a piezoelectric element 30 after the height of the stage 25 is regulated to perform focusing, and an ultrasonic image is observed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a water injection device for an acoustic lens for an ultrasonic microscope that enables easy and reliable water injection.

[Technique of invention 1 (I-related background and other problems)] The idea of observing the microscopic structure of objects using ultrasound instead of light has been around for a long time, and recently several-area scanning ultrasound microscopes have been developed. The sample surface is mechanically scanned by the ultrasonic wave (2 mirrors (J), in principle narrowly focused ultra-high frequency: Q ultrasound beams), and the 81 (oblique J: The ultrasonic waves are collected and converted into 1v+3 round waves, and the signals are displayed two-dimensionally on a display screen such as a cathode ray tube to obtain a microscopic image.

(8) The result depends on how the ultrasonic waves are detected; in other words, when detecting llAg waves that have passed through the sample while being disturbed or attenuated, and when detecting the acoustic 11
When detecting ultrasonic waves that have been transmitted by the difference IJ, J is divided into transmission type and reflection type.

Figure 1 is a principle diagram of a reflection-type ultrasound microscope - C, I @ The signal from the frequency oscillator 1 is supplied to the transmitter/receiver 1 Heransju (No. 3) by the direction i-coupler or curator 2. This signal is converted into an ultrasonic wave and one of the elements (an ultrahigh wave focusing lens (acoustic Waves are emitted from one surface of the acoustic lens 4 and transmitted to the Noh surface side.The other surface of the acoustic lens 4 is hollowed out into a spherical shape to form a spherical lens section 4a, and the sample is placed opposite the spherical lens section 4a. The holding plate 5 is now placed.Water 6, which is an ultrasonic propagation medium, is present between the acoustic lens 4 and the holding plate 5, and at the focal position of the spherical lens portion 4a. The sample 7 can be attached to the holding plate 5.

The holding plate 5 is moved in the X and Y directions by a scanning device 8 so as to two-dimensionally scan a plane. Of course, it is possible to move the acoustic lens 4 in the X and Y directions instead of the holding plate 5. For example, it is possible to move the acoustic lens 4 in the X direction and move the holding plate 5 in the Y direction. You can also try it.

The scanning device 8 is controlled by a scanning circuit 9.

The ultra-M waves incident on the acoustic lens 4 from the transuser 3 are focused and reach the C sample 71\.

The anti-l1lJ wave is again collected by the acoustic lens 4'U, converted into an electric signal by the transducer 3, and passed through the directional coupler or reculator 2 to the display device 10.
can be supplied to.

By the way, in the above-mentioned ultrasonic microscope, it is necessary to interpose water 6, which is an ultrasonic propagation medium, between the periphery of the sample 7 and the acoustic lens 4. was created, and the water droplets were dropped onto the spherical lens portion 4a side of the acoustic lens 4. however,
this'! 4D. At particularly high frequencies, the radius of the concave portion of the spherical lens portion 4a becomes small, for example, at IGHz, it is approximately Q, i + nm, so when water is injected by the water injection process described above, the water injection is insufficient. Water does not completely reach the spherical lens portion 4a, creating voids, which often make it impossible to propagate ultrasonic waves and make it unusable as an ultrasonic microscope. there were.

[Object of the Invention] An object of the present invention is to provide a water injection device for an ultrahigh-wave microscope lens, which has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and which enables simple and reliable water injection.

[Summary of the Invention'j5] According to the present invention, an acoustic lens is provided with a through hole or groove extending to the lens surface, and the groove is formed so that water can be poured into the lens surface through the through hole or groove.

[Example example of defense] Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

2 and 3 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows an ultrasound microscope equipped with the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the first embodiment. Shown.

1st fruit m I! ilI Force formation tL TANJ Ef
Wave B+1 ial tfi 211J, on the base 22, the following parts () are taken out to form 14 ().

At an appropriate position n on the base 22, a test piece 25 is mounted on which a holding plate 24 for holding the sample 1123 can be placed.
'It's IJ. The drive shaft 2 above this sample stage 25
By vibrating G in one direction (X direction), the excitation gap 28 that can make the sound generated by J1 and others at the tip of the drive shaft 26 and scan the Ins 27 in the X direction is created. It is mounted on the space 22 adjacent to the sample stage 25. On the base 22, there is an automatic feeding device ff29 that allows the sample stage 25 to be automatically fed out at a selected and set speed.
is further taken 14().

The above trial 1 unit 25 is the trial 1. By rotating the flexure formed on the side of the I1 stand 25, it can move in any X direction or Y direction parallel to the base 22 surface, or even in the Z direction perpendicular to the base 22 surface! I ml 'c can be opened, and the arm 2 is attached to the side.
9a, the automatic feed device 29 automatically moves in the selected direction (-) at a speed selected and set.

A crystal is attached to the tip of the drive shaft 27 (=l) on the upper surface of the broken FP resin 27;
, Z II O"f The actuator 30 is attached to both sides of the plate surface of the disk-shaped piezoelectric element (: piezoelectric as an electroacoustic transducer with an electrode surface attached), By applying pulsed high frequency waves to both electrodes,
, one (, the excited piezoelectric vibration is ref1t', i8 fused stone momme etc.ζ-1 is formed and propagated to the acoustic lens 27 side U, said 8
From the spherical lens portion 27a of the Hibiki L.N.S.
An ultrasonic beam converged at its focal point is sent out to the sample 23 side through C. Therefore, the ultrasonic waves reflected by the discontinuous boundary surface of the acoustic impedance of the sample 23 are efficiently collected by the acoustic lens 27.
By exciting the piezoelectric actuator 30, electrical signals can be extracted from both north poles.

By the way, as shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 3, the acoustic lens '27 is provided with a through hole 32 (a water injection device 33 of the first embodiment that enables water to be poured into the spherical lens 27a). , a through hole 32 is formed in the acoustic lens 27 (near the lower end of the acoustic lens 27) extending from the outer periphery to the inner spherical lens portion 27a, and a hollow tube 13 is formed at the open end on the outer periphery side of the through hole 32.・447) Fixed end and flexible duel 1
The bent end of 34 is connected to, for example, a syringe 35 filled with water 31. This syringe 35 is held around the acoustic lens 27 by a support portion vj36.

In the water injection device 33 configured as described above, by pressing the piston-shaped pressing portion 35a of the syringe 35, the water 31 is sent out through the duplex 34 and further through the through hole 32 of the acoustic lens 27 to the spherical lens portion 27a. The air in the concave portion of the spherical lens portion 27a is expelled by the sent-out water 31, so that only the water 31 can be interposed between the sample 23 and the concave portion of the spherical lens portion 27a, as shown in FIG. -It is.

The vibration exciter 28 supports the drive shaft 26 by forming a through hole in the center of the E-shaped 116 so as to be movable in the < direction, and also has a coil wound around a central tn stone. By applying an alternating current to the C1 drive shaft 2G, the drive shaft 26
The acoustic lens 27 attached to the end of the sensor can be scanned by vibrating it.

Further, the automatic feeding device 29 is formed using a motor, gears, etc., and by changing its rotation speed and changing the combination of deceleration gears, etc., the sample stage 25 attached to the arm 29a is moved in an appropriate direction. It is possible to move at a predetermined speed.

When the ultrasonic beam 21 equipped with the water injection device $3 of the first embodiment constructed in this manner is long enough to be used, a test sample is placed on the sample stage 25. Holding board 24 with 123 fixed with adhesive etc.! ! ! and move the sample stage 25 to set the sample 1N 23 to be below the spherical lens part 27a.

After setting in this state, when the piston-shaped pressing part 3-58 of the syringe 35 is pressed, the filled water 31 is transferred to the duplex 34 and the through hole 34 to which the end of the tube 34 is connected.
The water 31 is sent out to the four parts of the spherical lens part 27a, and the air in the recess is immediately or gradually expelled, and the sample 23 and the spherical lens part 2t are
As shown in FIG. 3, the space between the hole and the hole can be completely filled with only the hole 31 without any air intervening, and the water injection operation can be easily completed.

In this way, after 1J/, observation is possible by adjusting the height of the camera 25 and adjusting the focus.

According to the first implementation, the water injection operation can be completed easily and quickly. In addition, according to the first embodiment, since the IF hole 32 leading to the concave side of the spherical lens portion 27a is injected with red water, there is less possibility that air will remain in the concave portion, resulting in a highly reliable water injecting device. Also, on the way to WQ inspection, Wednesday 31
Did it evaporate or become scattered during large scanning or movement? + Water 31 between 23 and Aigaya lens 27
When the temperature gets low, I add water and replenish it as it is.
It has the advantage that it can be used without incurring additional costs for observation.

FIG. 4 shows the main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

In the water injection VT position of this second embodiment, the acoustic lens 2
7 without forming the through hole 32 in the first embodiment,
As shown in the figure, from the outer circumference m11 on the lower end side, the 111-plane lens 2
A guide groove 41 extending to the side 7a is formed. This guide f
A part of the R-knee 134 is housed in the i41, and the tip side of the R-knee 134 is fixed with adhesive or the like, so that the open end of the R-knee 134 faces the four parts of the spherical lens 27a (the tip side of the duplex 34). The part can also be a rigid member.

). Note that the opening end may be oriented 71 toward the innermost part of the center of the four parts. The rest is the same as the above-mentioned 1st embodiment 11 (j, and the same parts 12 are given the same reference numerals 1)
It is.

The effects of this second real brain example are almost the same as those of the first real brain example/71st example.

In each of the embodiments described above, the groove is formed so that the syringe 35 is pressed to inject water, but the water 31 is injected by driving the pump.
It would be a good idea to send the . In addition, in order to more completely expel the air in the recess when water is poured, the fifth
As in the modification of the second embodiment shown in the figure, a means is provided to enable the self-focusing lens 27 to rotate at an appropriate angle, for example, around the drive shaft 2G. By injecting water in a tilted state, you can more reliably inject water without intervening air.In this case, when tilted as shown in Figure 5, It is desirable to form the guide groove 41 so that the end of the tube 34 is on the lower side.

In each of the embodiments described above, the duplex 34 has the water supply side and the acoustic lens 27 side integrally connected, but even when the acoustic lens 27 is replaced, the acoustic lens 27
In order to facilitate storage and handling of the acoustic lens 27, a connecting portion such as a base may be provided, for example, at the through hole 32 of the acoustic lens 27 or around the guide groove 41 so that the acoustic lens 27 can be easily attached and detached.

In addition, the application is not limited to water 31 as an ultrasonic transmission medium, but can also be used for water injection (for liquid injection) of a liquid (transmitting ultrasonic waves from an aqueous solution), and water injection can be used in a broad sense. It means injection.

In the above description, the acoustic lens 27 used in a reflection-type ultrasonic microscope is described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention is not limited to this, but can be applied to an acoustic lens 27 used in a transmission-type ultrasonic microscope. can also be used within j in the same way.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a through hole or a guide groove extending to the spherical lens portion side of the acoustic lens is formed in the acoustic lens so that liquid can be sent through the hollow tube. Therefore, the air in the four parts of the spherical lens part can be removed and water can be poured easily and quickly. Also, it can be replenished during observation.
It can handle long-term observation without interrupting observation.

Furthermore, it can be realized at a low cost I.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the principle of an ultrasound microscope, Figs. 2 and 3 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 shows an ultrasound endoscope equipped with the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view showing the surrounding area of the water injection device of the first embodiment in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a side view showing a part of the second embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a side view C' showing a part of a modification of the second embodiment. 21...Ultrasonic microscope 23...Trial light 125...
・Sample stage 26...Drive shaft 27...Acoustic lens 28...Two vibrations...Automatic feeder 30...Claw vibrator 31...Water 32
...J hole 33...Water injection device 34...Dupure 35...)
1 Button 3G...Support 11 Part 1A41...Guidance) r4 Agent Patent Attorney Susumu Ito') Procedure Amendment (Voluntary) May 26, 1980 Commissioner of the Patent Office Kazuo Wakasugi 2 , Name of the invention: Water injection device for acoustic lenses for ultrasound microscopes 3, Relationship with the Xi incident to be corrected Special W [Applicant address: 2-13-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Name (037); Representative Satoshi Shimoyama of Kogaku Jogyo Co., Ltd. Department 4, Agent 5, Date of amendment order (f) Self-initiated 1, on the 2nd page of the specification, line 16, ``... surface (upper end surface)...''・" is corrected to "...face (tenth face)...sen. And...Z
Adjust in the direction t)” is [...acoustic lens゛2
7 and the entrance surface of sample 233 can be covered as parallel, and sample 2
Any position of 3? 1 (To understand J, try to correct 1 unit 25 to 4 by moving in X direction, Y direction, J, C1' Z direction. 3. Bright #l11 yen, 6th page, 12 lines [-1 to 1-
1 of the drive unit 27...”
l Corrected to 26σ door 1. Below 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an ultrasound microscope that uses an acoustic lens to converge ultrasound waves and scan the focused ultrasound beam to receive reflected qJ waves or transmitted waves to the sample and display them as ultrasound images, an acoustic lens is used. A through hole or groove was formed to communicate with the spherical lens part, and a liquid capable of transmitting ultrasonic waves of 1 m could be sent to the spherical lens part through a duplex connected to the through hole or groove. A water injection device for an acoustic lens for an ultrasonic microscope, characterized by: