125 μm fiber based all-optical ultrasound probes for pulse-echo imaging

All-optical ultrasound probes that contain a photoacoustically-based ultrasound generator paired with a photonic acoustic sensor provide a promising imaging modality for diagnostic and MRI-compatible applications.Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of a fiber-based all-optical ultrasound probe and its applications in pulseecho ultrasound imaging. The ultrasound generator is fabricated on a 125 μm multimode optical fiber by forming a light-absorbing multiwalled carbon nanotube(MWCNT)-polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS) composite coating on its distal end. A peak-to-peak acoustic pressure of 0.95 MPa was achieved with laser irradiation at 2.46 μJ by chemically functionalizing the fiber surface to enable a strong adsorption. Ultrasound reception was performed by a fiber-laser ultrasound sensor that translates ultrasound pressure into differential lasing-frequency changes.By linearly scanning the probe, ex vivo two-and three-dimensional imaging of a segment of swine trachea was demonstrated by detecting the echo ultrasound signals and reconstructing the acoustic scatterers.The probe presents axial and lateral resolutions at 150 and 62 μm, respectively. The small-sized, side-looking all-fiber ultrasound probe presents a promising approach for assembling an interventional endoscopy.     

基于开槽型DBR光纤激光器拍频的折射率探测

提出一种包层开槽型分布布拉格反射光纤激光器,用于光纤激光折射率探测.该激光器以单纵模双偏振分布布拉格反射光纤激光器为核心传感单元,以结构双折射产生的拍频信号为传感信号对折射率进行探测.实验中应用频率编码,灵敏度高且易于解调.利用二氧化碳激光器的热效应对分布布拉格反射光纤激光器的谐振腔加工开槽,通过控制其扫描范围和功率来制备不同宽度和深度的开槽结构,并研究了不同结构参量对灵敏度特性的影响.实验测得最优灵敏度达-240 MHz/RI-unit.此外,还对该结构的温度传感特性做了测试,相较于未刻槽结构,温度灵敏度提高了21%,达1.73 MHz/℃.该装置结构紧凑、稳定性高、制备简单且成本低廉,可用于进一步研究分布布拉格反射光纤激光器的传感和复用特性.