Scanning acoustic-photoacoustic microscopy using axicon transducers

Area of Science:

• Acoustic microscopy
• Optical imaging
• Ultrasound imaging

Background:

• Traditional imaging techniques often require separate scans for different contrast modalities.
• Achieving simultaneous optical and acoustical contrast imaging presents a significant challenge in microscopy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a dual-mode scanning acoustic microscope capable of generating both optical and acoustical contrast images simultaneously.
• To explore the potential of combining photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging in a single scanning process.

Main Methods:

• Utilized short laser pulses to excite acoustic waves for photoacoustic imaging.
• Employed a conical target to generate limited diffraction acoustic waves (X-waves) for ultrasound imaging.
• Applied a focusing, ring-shaped detector for both imaging modes.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the simultaneous acquisition of data for both photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging modes within a single scan.
• Successfully separated images from the two modalities based on their distinct time-of-flight characteristics.
• Phantom experiments validated the feasibility of the dual-mode approach.

Conclusions:

• The developed dual-mode scanning acoustic microscope effectively acquires simultaneous optical and acoustical contrast images.
• This integrated approach offers an efficient method for multimodal imaging, reducing scan time and complexity.
• The technique shows promise for advanced material characterization and biological imaging applications.