In an electronic ultrasonic image converter, a plate of piezoelectric or polarized electrostrictive material transduces the ultrasonic image into an alternating surface potential that can be detected by a scanning electronic beam. The conversion characteristics of the plate are explored for various forms of electrical loading, including the conditions necessary for the retrieval of the energy stored mechanically in a resonant plate. The parameters for the high‐conductance electron‐beam scanning necessary for this energy retrieval are developed. An image tube employing these principles is described.