Fiber-optical sensor system for ultrasound sensing and imaging
Inventors
Li, Fu • Li, Mucong • Li, Yihang • Xu, Linhua • Yang, Lan • Zhao, Guangming • Zhu, Jiangang • Hazarian, Mike
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12025489-B1
Publication Date
2024-07-02
Expiration Date
Abstract
Optical fiber based acoustic sensors are provided herein. The optical fiber based acoustic sensors described herein include acoustically responsive optical structures configured to detect and receive acoustic signals, including ultrasound signals, and provide associated optical signals to a system for processing and interpretation to implement tracking, location, and imaging capabilities. Optical fiber based sensors provided herein may be disposed at ends of or along the length of optic fibers. Optical fiber based sensors may be included within various devices, including, for example, medical devices. Optical fiber based sensors may provide a compact technology with high sensitivity to visualize and track objects and provide anatomical imaging.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention provides a compact fiber-optical ultrasound sensing and imaging system based on acoustically responsive fiber micro-sensors. The system uses a sensor fiber that includes an optical waveguide having a core and a cladding structure, and an optical sensor structure coupled to a first end of the optical waveguide to detect an acoustic signal and provide an optical signal corresponding to the acoustic signal to the optical waveguide.
The optical sensor structure includes at least one of an optical resonator, an optical interferometer, a facet end microstructure, and a polarization sensitive structure. The description further includes optical resonators such as Fabry-Perot cavity geometries and resonator/Q concepts, interferometers including Mach-Zehnder configurations, and facet end microstructures including acoustic-directionality structures, metasurfaces, plasmonic structures, and dielectric (Mie) microstructures.
The system supports sensing and imaging functions by using optical illumination and optical reception with processing and image reconstruction. The description includes delay-and-sum beamforming, as well as tracking/location determination and co-registration with ultrasound imagery, and medical device embodiments including needle and catheter-delivered needle implementations having sensor channels and windows.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim set centers on one sensor fiber configured to convert an acoustic signal into a corresponding optical signal using an optical waveguide and an optical sensor structure at a fiber end. The claims identify six inventive features across the independent and dependent claims.
Sensor fiber converting acoustic signals to optical signals
A sensor fiber includes an optical waveguide comprising a core and a cladding structure, and an optical sensor structure coupled to a first end of the optical waveguide including at least one of an optical resonator, an optical interferometer, a facet end microstructure, and a polarization sensitive structure, the optical sensor structure being configured for detecting an acoustic signal and providing an optical signal corresponding to the acoustic signal to the optical waveguide.
Optical resonator-based sensor structure
The optical sensor structure is an optical resonator implemented using a Fabry-Perot resonator, a whispering gallery mode resonator, a micro-ring, a micro-toroid, a spiral resonator, or a photonic crystal resonator.
Interferometer-based optical sensor structure
The optical sensor structure is implemented as a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a Fabry-Perot interferometer, a phase-shift coherent interferometer, or a self-mixing interferometer.
Encapsulating structure acoustic impedance matching
The acoustic impedance of the encapsulating structure is selected to match an optical resonator structure impedance within 20%.
Directional acoustic detection coverage
The optical sensor structure is configured to detect an acoustic signal over a directional range of at least 180 degrees, 270 degrees, 300 degrees, 330 degrees, or 360 degrees.
Optical system with processing for image generation and/or location determination
The apparatus further includes a light source, a photodetector, and a processing unit that controls the light source, receives optical data from the photodetector, and performs image generation and/or location determination based on that optical data delivered to an optical sensor structure via an optical waveguide.
Overall, the claims focus on a sensor fiber with a core and cladding optical waveguide and a fiber-end optical sensor structure that detects acoustic signals and outputs corresponding optical signals. Dependent features specify resonator or interferometer implementations, directional detection coverage, acoustic impedance matching with an encapsulating structure, and light/photodetection plus processing for image generation and/or location determination.
Stated Advantages
Improve resolution/SNR/harmonic imaging/Doppler sensitivity when fused with traditional acoustic transducers, including mixed arrays.
Documented Applications
Medical device sensing using a needle or a catheter-delivered needle, including sensor channels and windows, with co-registration to ultrasound imagery.
Ultrasound imagery co-registration using tracking/location determination.
Image reconstruction for ultrasound sensing using delay-and-sum beamforming.
Signal fusion with traditional acoustic transducers for improved harmonic imaging and Doppler sensitivity.
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