Which part of the beamformer is used to control beam steering and focusing in phased array scanning and also controls the size of the element and apodization?

• A. Pulse Delays
• B. Time Gain Compensation
• C. Demodulation
• D. Rejection

Answer: (A)

Beaming in a phased array relies on per-element timing. By applying precise time delays to each element’s excitation, the emitted waves align at the target location, producing constructive interference that steers the beam and allows focusing at a specific depth. Those same timing controls determine how many elements participate at a given moment (aperture size) and how the elements are weighted (apodization) to shape the beam’s width and sidelobes. So the delays are the mechanism that handles steering, focusing, aperture size, and apodization. Depth-dependent amplification (time gain compensation), demodulation, and rejection address other parts of signal processing and don’t control beam direction or focus.