Photoacoustic probes for nondestructive testing and biomedical applications.
Fiber-optic photoacoustic sources for nondestructive testing and biomedical applications are described. The photoacoustic sources consist of a pulsed laser, a fiber-optic cable, and a generation head. The generation head is a miniature hermetically sealed chamber, which can be embedded into solid structures or immersed in liquid media. The face of the chamber acts as a target for laser irradiation. Bulk ultrasonic waves generated inside of the target are transmitted into the medium. The proposed systems offer wide ultrasonic range (0.5-15 MHz), easy control over directivity of the ultrasonic beam, high efficiency of generation, and the ability to operate in a harsh environment. Sources with different radiation patterns with respect to the optical axis of the fiber, such as normal, sideways, as well as focused, have been devised. We present a proof-of-concept experiment using these sources in combination with fiber-optic ultrasonic receivers.
Fomitchov
Pavel A
PA
Center for Quality Engineering and Failure Prevention, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3020, USA.
Kromine
Alexei K
AK
Krishnaswamy
Sridhar
S
D004867:Equipment Design; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D007834:Lasers; D055100:Optical Fibers; D012106:Research; D014463:Ultrasonography