Response characteristics of a finite aperture, phase insensitive ultrasonic receiver based upon the acoustoelectric effect

The acoustoelectric effect (i.e., the interaction of ultrasound with conduction electrons in a piezoelectric semiconductor) provides the basis for the construction of a finite aperture, phase insensitive receiver using a single crystal of cadmium sulfide. In this paper we present a formalism describing the operation of such a receiver. Criteria for the optimization of the device in terms of ultrasonic bandwidth, response time, sensitivity, and electrical and mechanical loading are presented. In an accompanying paper [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 70, 1377–1386 (1981)], we discuss and demonstrate the merits of using a phase insensitive receiver when measurements of a phase distorted (spatially noncoherent) ultrasonic radiation must be made.