Open AccessMicrowave head imaging system using analogue fibre‐optic link for improved detection and localisation
Author(s) -
Mohammed B.J.,
Bertling K.,
Abbosh A.M.,
Rakić A.D.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
electronics letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.375
H-Index - 146
ISSN - 1350-911X
DOI - 10.1049/el.2016.1502
Subject(s) - optical link , microwave , imaging phantom , optics , transceiver , noise (video) , optical fiber , detector , multi mode optical fiber , microwave imaging , antenna (radio) , signal (programming language) , materials science , ranging , signal to noise ratio (imaging) , head (geology) , photonics , optical power , laser , computer science , optoelectronics , physics , telecommunications , artificial intelligence , cmos , geomorphology , image (mathematics) , programming language , geology
The use of microwave photonics in the form of an optical link to transmit and receive microwave signals in microwave biomedical imaging systems is proposed. A single fibre is used to replace coaxial cables connecting the antenna array to the transceiver. The optical link, which is lightweight and offers an almost zero insertion loss, improves the signal‐to‐noise ratio and sensitivity, and thus offers better detection and localisation. As a proof of concept, an optical link that consists of a vertical‐cavity surface‐emitting laser, a multimode fibre and a high speed photo detector was built and tested. Experiments were performed using a 1–4 GHz microwave imaging system to scan a head phantom, which consists of accurately emulated brain tissues and embedded stroke. The head was imaged and the results were compared with those obtained using the traditional all‐microwave link. The results demonstrate that the optical link increases the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the system and thus improves the quality of the obtained images and accuracy of the detection and localisation.