Acoustic microscopy is a technology that helps in visualizing tiny structures using high frequency ultra sound waves. The microscopes in this fashion penetrate solid materials and create visible images of internal features, including defects like cracks and voids. For this purpose, they use frequencies up to several gigahertz.
One of the most advanced types of acoustic microscopy is scanning acoustic microscopy. Here, the internal parts of a sample can be viewed without staining or causing any damage. It relies on a beam to scan the sample while it is in water.
The difference between a traditional microscope and an acoustic microscope is that the former allows us to see only the surface of a specimen, while the latter obtains images from deeper layers. It also takes accurate measurements at a micro-level, which other microscopes may not be able to obtain.
