Methods and devices for optoacoustic stimulation

US11684404B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY · US

Inventors

• Chen Yang · New Taipei, TW
• Ji-Xin Cheng · Somerville, US
• Nan Zheng · Beijing, CN
• Yueming Li · Mountain View, US
• Ying Jiang · Longchuan, CN
• Lu Lan · West Lafayette, US
• Linli Shi · Brookline, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 9, 2022
• Grant date: Jun 27, 2023
• Expiry date: Mar 9, 2042

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/34
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A tapered fiber optoacoustic emitter includes a nanosecond laser configured to emit laser pulses and an optic fiber. The optic fiber includes a tip configured to guide the laser pulses. The tip has a coating including a diffusion layer and a thermal expansion layer, wherein the diffusion layer includes epoxy and zinc oxide nanoparticles configured to diffuse the light while restricting localized heating. The thermal expansion layer includes carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) configured to convert the laser pulses to generate ultrasound. The frequency of the ultrasound is tuned with a thickness of the diffusion layer and a CNT concentration of the expansion layer.