Piezoelectric effect from the perspective of ultrasonography

Piezoelectric effect from the perspective of ultrasonography | Redmedbd

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Publicado 2023-04-11

The piezoelectric effect can be defined as a phenomenon in which certain specialized crystals exhibit an interesting property when subjected to mechanical pressure, wherein the applied pressure results in a temporary deformation of the crystal structure, which in turn generates an electrical charge. Conversely, when an electrical current is applied to these crystals, they undergo a temporary deformation, which can be harnessed for various applications. It is important to note that the piezoelectric effect is a transient effect, as the crystals return to their original state once the pressure or electrical field is removed.

USG machine uses this property of certain crystals like quartz to produce sound wave. They do it by applying electricity on the crystals in a trickling manner so that the crystals continuously deform and return to the original state. This happens so fast that it is hard to comprehend. These crystals are made to go continuous deformation and reformation at about 2000 times to over 5000 times in each millisecond by alternatively switching the electricity supply on and off. This results in the vibration of the crystals.

When the crystals vibrate, it produces sound waves in the air. If the frequency of these sound waves exceeds 20 kilohertz, they become inaudible to the human ear, and this phenomenon is referred to as ultrasound.

The ultrasound machine operates at a frequency exceeding 2 megahertz, which is well beyond the range of human hearing. As a result, the crystals must vibrate at a rate of over 2 million times per second to generate ultrasound.

Following the production of sound waves, they are directed towards the internal structures of the body, and subsequently reflected back to the crystals by the organs. The returning sound waves then cause the crystals to vibrate, creating electrical energy within them. This electrical energy is measured by the machine and interpreted as an image.

Essentially, this is how ultrasound machines utilize the piezoelectric effect to generate images. That concludes today's video, but I will return with more content on ultrasound technology. If you found this video informative, please like, share, and subscribe. Thank you for watching.

#piezoelectric #ultrasound #ultrasoundBasic