Experimental verification of acoustic saturation

The maximum value of acoustic pressure within an ultrasonic beam is limited by acoustic saturation. The theoretical basis for acoustic saturation has been analyzed previously. In this work, a high-power pulse source is used to drive acoustic pressure levels from an ultrasonic beam to saturation. An automatic procedure determines the field's beam axis using a calibrated Marconi PVDF hydrophone. The hydrophone measured RF waveforms are recorded along the beam axis and analyzed off-line. The peak compressional pressure is evaluated as a function of distance along the beam axis. The overall maximum pressure is compared to theoretical predictions. Three-, six-, and nine-MHz center frequency, 19-mm-diameter transducers were analyzed. The longer focal length transducer saturation level was comparable to a theoretical prediction. However, the theoretical saturation level for the shorter focal length transducers underestimated experimental results.