Theoretical Calculation of a Focused Acoustic Field from a Linear Phased Array on a Concave Cylindrical Transducer

A new linear phased array on a concave cylindrical transducer is designed for meeting the specific requirements of applications for interstitial thermal ablation. Using the array, a focal line can be generated rapidly and the focal position can be adjusted in the proper range without the use of complex mechanical structures. The focused acoustic field distributions in the axial, radial and azimuthal directions of the transducer are investigated theoretically by numerical simulation. Effects of the focal distance, steering angle, element arc-width, arc-space between adjacent elements and number of elements on the acoustic field are also thoroughly studied. Many important results are obtained.