Transducer Materials and Devices
Prof Sandy Cochran, Prof Margaret Lucas, Dr Patrick Harkness, Dr Helen Mulvana
We design ultrasonic transducers and devices that are focused on innovation and on optimising the ultrasonic vibrations delivered to the target material interaction site.
We are researching modifications of Langevin-type transducers to deliver effective combined longitudinal-torsional vibrations and combined longitudinal-flexural vibrations, especially targeting applications requiring miniaturised devices for surgical applications. Our research in ultrasonic drilling/coring for planetary sample retrieval has successfully demonstrated drilling from a Mars rover platform in Mars analogue rocks, relying on the conversion of high-frequency low-amplitude ultrasonic vibrations to low-frequency impacts at the drill site.
We are researching new configurations of cymbals and other flextensional transducers for power ultrasonics applications. Cymbal transducers remove the requirement to tune the ultrasonic device to resonance and thus provide considerable freedom to design transducer attachments that are completely focused on achieving the required device/target material interaction. Our cymbal based ultrasonic surgical prototype devices can be small enough to perform delicate and highly accurate procedures in minimally invasive surgical sites.
We are also researching the use of shape memory alloys in ultrasonic transducers to design multi-frequency devices, and we are investigating the incorporation of single crystal piezoelectrics in power ultrasonic devices.
