This section provides an overview for acoustic microscopes as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 8 acoustic microscope manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked acoustic microscope companies as of November, 2024: 1.Oneida Research Services, Inc., 2.Sage Analytical Lab, LLC, 3.SONIX, INC.
Table of Contents
Categories Related to Acoustic Microscopes
1987~1991: Engaged in research on wire covering materials at Polymer Materials Laboratory.
1991~1997: Worked as a patent Engineer at Koike International Patent Office.
1997~2005 Worked as an intellectual property member at GE Yokogawa Medical System, currently working as a writer.
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An acoustic microscope is a microscope that uses ultrasonic waves to observe the state of a sample by detecting the strength and position of the reflected waves from the sample.
Although its resolution is lower than that of an electron microscope, which is often used in industrial fields, its main feature is that it can measure and observe minute areas with higher resolution than an optical microscope.
Acoustic microscopes are often used in the industrial field to inspect products. An acoustic microscope is characterized by its ability to observe not only the surface of a sample but also its interior and bottom surface by changing the depth of incidence.
Specifically, the microscope is used for internal inspections of electronic components and other general materials, checking the adhesiveness of adhesives, and detecting cracks, voids, and delamination on bonded surfaces. It is also useful for internal inspections of electronic components, etc., internal inspections of general materials, and checking the adhesiveness of adhesives. Both are used to detect cracks, voids, delamination, etc., on bonded surfaces.
Ultrasonic waves propagate while attenuating in areas where materials are continuous, but cannot propagate in non-continuous areas such as gaps, and most of the waves are reflected at boundary surfaces. Therefore, reflected waves reflected from delaminated areas and voids can be detected.
An acoustic microscope utilizes the property that when ultrasonic waves are propagated between different materials at adjacent points, some of them are reflected and some are transmitted. When the reflected wave is detected and observed, the microscope is of the reflection type, and when the transmitted wave is detected and observed, the microscope is of the transmission type.
A transmission type acoustic microscope consists of two acoustic lenses placed so that they face each other with the specimen in between. One acoustic lens has a piezoelectric element that receives ultrasonic waves, and the other acoustic lens has a piezoelectric element that receives ultrasonic waves.
During measurement, ultrasonic waves are injected through one acoustic lens, and the ultrasonic waves transmitted through the sample placed at the focal point are received by the piezoelectric element on the other acoustic lens.
In a reflective acoustic microscope, the acoustic lens and piezoelectric element are placed only on one side. The piezoelectric element receives the incident ultrasonic wave and the reflected wave from the material. Both transmission and reflection ultrasonic microscopes can measure and observe the surface and internal conditions of a sample by analyzing the intensity and phase of the received ultrasonic waves.
Reflective acoustic microscopes are more commonly used commercially than transmissive microscopes. The main reason for this is that the reflective type does not require the sample to be sandwiched between acoustic lenses, so there is no limit to the thickness of the sample. Another major advantage of the reflective type acoustic microscope is that it is simpler to operate and easier to handle, since there is no need to place the acoustic lens in confocal, and image formation and measurement of propagation velocity are also possible.
The pulse reflection method, a measurement method using a reflective acoustic microscope, is a strong method for detecting exfoliation and voids inside the sample. In this method, a water-immersed sample is irradiated with ultrasonic waves of pulsed waveforms, and information about the interior of the object is obtained from the internally reflected pulses.
The intensity of this pulse reflection depends on the difference in acoustic impedance of the two materials that serve as boundary surfaces. Acoustic impedance is a quantity defined as the product of the density of the material and the speed of sound, and is almost 100% reflective of the air layer. This makes this pulse reflection method a strong method for detecting delamination and voids in the sample.
Acoustic microscopes that can visualize the inside of cells using high frequencies such as 100 MHz to 200 MHz have been developed. The use of high frequencies during measurement has no adverse effect on cells in water, and such acoustic microscopes enable observation of cells in a living state.
Therefore, changes in intracellular structural proteins can be confirmed without dye staining, as in the past. In addition to the established technology for propagating high-frequency ultrasound through a thin fiber, the tip of the fiber is processed on a concave surface to converge the ultrasound waves, thereby increasing the azimuthal resolution to the cellular level.
Acoustic microscope produces images based on the density and viscoelasticity of intracellular substances, making it extremely suitable for observing the cytoskeleton, which controls cell proliferation and other processes. Taking advantage of this property, a technique has been developed to identify cancer cells from a cancer cell population. Using this technology, fluorescent proteins can be expressed so that normal cells can be identified and how anticancer drugs have acted on cancer cells can be confirmed.
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SONIX, INC., founded in 1986 and located in Springfield, Virginia, is a manufacturer of acoustic scanning microscopes. Its broad range of products includes autowafers, ultrasonic transducers, echo, echo VS, and pulse 2. These products find general use in industries and research where non-destructive imaging, analysis, and characterization of materials and components are essential. The company’s products are particularly used in applications like semiconductor manufacturing, materials research, quality control, and failure analysis, providing insights into defects, interfaces, and structural properties.
PVA TePla, founded in Corona, Ca, in 1991 is a manufacturer of systems for hard-metal sintering and crystal growing as well as the use of plasma systems for surface activation, and functionalization. The company's product portfolio includes RF Plasma Systems, Microwave Plasma Systems, Atmospheric Plasma, Wafer Inspection & Software and Metrology Systems. The company serves markets including Automotive and Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy and Energy Storage and Electronics and IT Infrastructure.
Tokyo Instruments, Inc., established in 1981, and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a manufacturer of opto-electronics products and systems. The company offers a wide range of products, including laser processing machines, aligning systems, photodetectors, analyzers for photoelectron spectroscopy, and spectroscopy array detectors. Also offered are high-speed, high-sensitivity cameras in UV to IR, and photon detectors or counters. The company's product families consist of the Nanofinder series of 3D Laser Raman Microspectroscopy systems and the iDus Workhorse laboratory and OEM CCD platform for low-light spectroscopy.
Sinerji, founded in 2006 and located in Istanbul, Turkey, is a supplier and distributor of production machines and machine products and equipment. The company offers a diverse range of products that includes soldering and auxiliary process products, test and control, microscopes, soldering iron and BGA rework, and conformal coating. These products have uses in industries like electronics manufacturing, telecommunications, automotive, and aerospace. The company’s products use precise assembly, quality control, and efficient production processes for electronic components and assemblies.
Sector Technologies, founded in 2008 and located in Eybens, France, is a supplier of FA technology and EFA solutions. The company’s diverse range of products includes teseda testers, scanning acoustic microscopes, optics and imaging, nanoprobes, and AEM testers. These products have broad applications in industries and research fields where identifying defects, quality control, and imaging techniques are essential. The company’s products are utilized in semiconductor manufacturing, electronics, and research and development to ensure the quality of electronic components and materials.
PL NANOTECHNOLOGY PTE LTD., founded in 2010 and located in Woodlands Industrial Park, Singapore, is a supplier of scientific instruments and automation solutions. The company’s broad range of products includes Rockwell hardness testers, semiconductors, and consumables. These products are used in industries and research fields for tasks such as measuring material hardness, semiconductor manufacturing, and research processes. The company’s products play a significant role in quality control, material testing, and automation solutions across sectors like manufacturing, electronics, and research and development.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Oneida Research Services, Inc. |
21.7%
|
2 | Sage Analytical Lab, LLC |
15.7%
|
3 | SONIX, INC |
14.7%
|
4 | Sinerji |
12.4%
|
5 | PVA TePla |
10.6%
|
6 | Sector Technologies |
9.2%
|
7 | PL NANOTECHNOLOGY PTE LTD |
8.8%
|
8 | Tokyo Instruments, Inc |
6.9%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the acoustic microscope page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 2 | 33.3% |
Germany | 1 | 16.7% |
Japan | 1 | 16.7% |
Turkey | 1 | 16.7% |
France | 1 | 16.7% |