Applications of linear-motor-driven photoacoustic microscope

A photoacoustic microscope (PAM) with linear-motor-drives was designed and fabricated. The PAM has the performance of high spatial resolution, fast scan speed, and quietness at scanning compared used a PAM with conventional pulse-motor slide stages. The PAM was applied to image semiconductor devices and subsurface defects and to measure the amount of the pollen of Cryptomeria japonica (Taxodiaceae). In the former case, the spatial resolution was about 20 microm. In the latter case, PA amplitude image had a good resolution to be resolved up to few single pollen particles. In addition, the obtained PA amplitude image was integrated over the specimen surface, and the integrated signal was measured at various pollen mass. The calibration curve showed the correlation value of 0.94.