Reversible back-propagation imaging algorithm for postprocessing of ultrasonic array data

The paper describes a method for processing data from an ultrasonic transducer array. The proposed algorithm is formulated in such a way that it is reversible, i.e., the raw data set can be recovered from the image. This is of practical significance because it allows the raw-data to be spatially filtered using the image to extract, for example, only the raw data associated with a particular scatterer. The method is tested on experimental data obtained from a commercial 64-element, 5.5-MHz array on an aluminum specimen that contains several machined slots and side-drilled holes. The raw transmitter-receiver data corresponding to each scatterer is extracted, and the scattering matrices of different scatterers are reconstructed. This allows the signals from 1-mm-long slot and a 1-mm-diameter hole to be clearly distinguished and the orientation and the size of the slots to be determined.