Automation and system integration of scanning tomographic acoustic microscope.

The Scanning Tomographic Acoustic Microscope (STAM) is an instrument capable of performing subsurface imaging of microscopic specimens. Designed around the Scanning Laser Acoustic Microscope (SLAM), the STAM incorporates numerous hardware and software advances which allow automated imaging of the acoustic properties of thick specimens at high resolution. With these modifications the STAM is shown to be capable of image formation for tissue characterization and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of microscopic specimens. This paper describes the design and operation of the STAM hardware, and software algorithms developed to permit high resolution imaging. Examples are provided to demonstrate the capability of multiple angle and multiple frequency tomographic reconstructions.