Open AccessBroadband miniature fiber optic ultrasound generator
Author(s) -
Xiaotian Zou,
Nan Wu,
Ye Tian,
Xingwei Wang
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.22.018119
Subject(s) - materials science , ultrasound , optical fiber , ultrasonic sensor , optics , polydimethylsiloxane , nanocomposite , optoelectronics , acoustics , composite material , physics
This paper presents the design, fabrication and characterization of a broadband miniature fiber optic ultrasound generator based on photoacoustic (PA) ultrasound generation principle for biomedical ultrasound imaging and ultrasound non-destructive test (NDT) applications. A novel PA generation material, gold nanocomposite, was synthesized by directly reducing gold nanoparticles within polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through a one-pot protocol. The fiber optic ultrasound generator was fabricated by coating the gold nanocomposite on the tip of the optical fiber. The efficiency of the PA generation using gold nanocomposite was increased 10(5) compared to using aluminum thin film and 10(3) compared to using graphite mixed within epoxy. The ultrasound profile and the acoustic distribution have been characterized. The amplitude of the generated ultrasound signal was as high as 0.64 MPa and the bandwidth was more than 20 MHz. This paper also demonstrated its capability for ultrasound imaging of a tissue specimen.