• Applied Microscopy
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• v.50
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• pp.25.1-25.11
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• 2020

Scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) or Acoustic Micro Imaging (AMI) is a powerful, non-destructive technique that can detect hidden defects in elastic and biological samples as well as non-transparent hard materials. By monitoring the internal features of a sample in three-dimensional integration, this technique can efficiently find physical defects such as cracks, voids, and delamination with high sensitivity. In recent years, advanced techniques such as ultrasound impedance microscopy, ultrasound speed microscopy, and scanning acoustic gigahertz microscopy have been developed for applications in industries and in the medical field to provide additional information on the internal stress, viscoelastic, and anisotropic, or nonlinear properties. X-ray, magnetic resonance, and infrared techniques are the other competitive and widely used methods. However, they have their own advantages and limitations owing to their inherent properties such as different light sources and sensors. This paper provides an overview of the principle of SAM and presents a few results to demonstrate the applications of modern acoustic imaging technology. A variety of inspection modes, such as vertical, horizontal, and diagonal cross-sections have been presented by employing the focus pathway and image reconstruction algorithm. Images have been reconstructed from the reflected echoes resulting from the change in the acoustic impedance at the interface of the material layers or defects. The results described in this paper indicate that the novel acoustic technology can expand the scope of SAM as a versatile diagnostic tool requiring less time and having a high efficiency.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.534-549
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• 2009

As the thin film technology has emerged in various fields, adhesion of the film interface becomes an important issue in terms of the longevity and durability of thin film devices. Diverse nondestructive methods utilizing acoustic techniques have been developed to assess the interfacial integrity. As an effective technique based on the ultrasonic wave focusing and the surface acoustic wave(SAW) generation, scanning acoustic microscopy(SAM) has been investigated for adhesion evaluation. Visualization of film microstructures and quantification of adhesion weakness levels by SAW dispersion are the recent achievements of SAM. To overcome the limitations in the theoretical dispersion model only suitable for perfectly elastic and isotropic materials, a new model has been more recently developed in consideration of film anisotropy and viscoelasticity and applied to the adhesion evaluation of polymeric films fabricated on semiconductive wafers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.899-900
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• 2009

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.28-33
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• 2008

In a scanning electron microscope (SEM), outside acoustic noise causes image noise that distorts observations of the specimen being examined. A SEM that is less sensitive to acoustic noise is highly desirable. This paper investigates the image noise problem by addressing the mode shapes of the base plate and the transmission path of the acoustic noise and vibration. By arranging the position of the rib, a new SEM base plate was developed that had twisting as the 1st and 2nd modes. In those two twisting modes, vibration nodes existed near the center of the base plate where the specimen chamber is placed. Less vibration was transmitted to the chamber and to the specimen by the twisting modes compared to bending ones, which are the 2nd and 3rd modes for a rectangular plain base plate. An SEM with the developed base plate installed exhibited a significant reduction of image noise when exposed to acoustic noises below 250 Hz.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.7-13
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• 2001

Wire electrical discharge machining experiments in conducted to investigate characteristics of acoustic emission (AE) and electrical discharge energy due to current peak (I$_{p}$), pulse on time($\tau$/on/). The AE signals are obtained with a sensor attached to workpiece side. Machining states are identified with scanning electron microscopy and residual stress analyzer. It is demonstrated that the residual stress provide reliable informations about the machining states. Moreover, machining states can be detected successfully using both the residual stress and AE count rate.e.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.171-175
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• 2014

In this study, we suggest a method to measure the thickness of thin films nondestructively using the dispersion characteristics of a surface acoustic wave propagating along the thin film surface. To measure the thickness of thin films, we deposited thin films with different thicknesses on a Si (100) wafer substrate by controlling the deposit time using the E-beam evaporation method. The thickness of the thin films was measured using a scanning electron microscope. Subsequently, the surface wave velocity of the thin films with different thicknesses was measured using the V(z) curve method of scanning acoustic microscopy. The correlation between the measured thickness and surface acoustic wave velocity was verified. The wave velocity of the film decreased as the film thickness increased. Therefore, thin film thickness can be determined by measuring the dispersion characteristics of the surface acoustic wave velocity.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.9-16
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• 2001

Turning experiments are conducted to investigate characteristics of acoustic emission due to wear of the coated tool. The AE signals are obtained with a sensor attached to tool holder side. Tool states are identified with scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy. It is demonstrated that the AE signals provide reliable informations about the cutting processes and tool states. Moreover, tool wear can be detected successfully using the AE-RMS.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.437-443
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• 2010

In recent years, as nano scale structured thin film technology has emerged in various fields such as the materials, biomedical and acoustic sciences, the quantitative nondestructive adhesion evaluation of thin film interfaces using ultra high frequency scanning acoustic microscopy(SAM) has become an important issue in terms of the longevity and durability of thin film devices. In this study, an effective technique for investigating the interfaces of nano scale structured thin film systems is described, based on the focusing of ultrasonic waves, the generation of leaky surface acoustic waves(LSAWs), V(z) curve simulation and ultra high frequency acoustical imaging_ Computer simulations of the V(z) curve were performed to estimate the sensitivity of detection of micro flaws(i.e., delamination) in a thin film system. Finally, experiments were conducted to confirm that a SAM system operating at a frequency of 1 GHz can be useful to visualize the micro flaws in nano structured thin film systems.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.118-125
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• 1991

Acoustic microscopy has attracted much interest recently as potential nondestructive evaluation technique for detecting and sizing defects of surface and sub-surface. Also acoustic emission testing method has been developed for detecting microcracks which is more than 30${\mu}m$ in length quantitatively on ceramics. In the present paper, acoustic emission during the four point bending test in hot-pressed sintered $Si_3N_4$ specimen which was stressed by thermal shock, has been measured by high sensitive sensing system. The surface and sub-surface cracks were detected by scanning acoustic micrscope of 800 MHz and conventional ultrasonic testing in C-scope image. The purpose was to investigate the location and size of cracks by SAM and AE technique, whose experimental data demonstrate good for detecting microcracks.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.89-92
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• 2001

Drop weight impact tests were performed to investigate the impact behavior of carbon fiber/epoxy composite laminates reinforced by short fibers and other interleaving materials. Characterization techniques, such as cross-sectional fractography and scanning acoustic microscopy, were employed quantitatively to assess the internal damage of some composite laminates. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe impact damage and fracture modes on specimen fracture surfaces. The results show that composite laminates experience various types of fracture; delamination, intra-ply cracking, matrix cracking and fiber breakage depending on the interlayer materials. Among the composite laminates tested in this study, the composites reinforced by Zylon fibers showed very good impact damage resistance with medium level of damage, while the composites interleaved by poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) (PEEA) film is expected to deteriorate the bulk strength due to the reduction of fiber volume fraction, even though the damaged area is significantly reduced.