Amplified acousto-optical vibration sensor and ultrasonic transducer array
US5748564A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 9, 1997 |
| Grant date | May 5, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 9, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01H9/004
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An acousto-optical vibration sensor, particularly for use in ultrasonic array transducers, such as for medical ultrasound, employs interferometric techniques. A receiver element has a light input port which receives laser light that exits via an output port only after undergoing a multitude of reflections between a static reflecting surface and a vibrating reflecting surface in a manner that enhances frequency-shifted light wave components. The receiver element includes a volumetric region including a layer of material which is both light transmissive and light scattering. In principle, ultrasonically shifted light wave components are enhanced by about six orders of magnitude, and vibration amplitudes significantly smaller than 0.01 A may be detected. Loss resulting from multiple reflections is compensated for by employing active lasing particles, sized so that lasing is induced by the frequency-shifted light.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.