Acoustic crystal sonoluminescent cavitation devices and IR/THz sources
US8026496B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 2, 2009 |
| Grant date | Sep 27, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 22, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E30/10
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An acoustic crystal structure includes defect cavities that concentrate the driving pressure from applied sound waves into the cavities to cavitate gas bubbles in a liquid to produce sonoluminescence. This device may be used to study sonoluminescence or cavitation or to perform sonochemistry, nuclear fusion etc. in the cavities. A waveguide may be operatively coupled to the acoustic crystal to extract, collect and route a band of electromagnetic (EM) radiation around a specified source wavelength to an output port for emission by an antenna to provide an EM source. The waveguide may, for example, be a photonic crystal defect waveguide, a photonic crystal optical fiber or Sommerfeld waveguide. The marriage of the sonoluminescence phenomena with an acoustic crystal and embedded waveguide provides for an efficient source of narrow or broad band IR or THz radiation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.