Liquid channel tunable lens for phased-based ultrasonic beamforminga)

Area of Science:

• Acoustic Metamaterials
• Optical Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics

Background:

• Traditional beamforming techniques often require complex mechanical structures or fixed designs.
• Achieving tunable phase patterns for acoustic or optical beams is crucial for advanced applications.
• Existing lenses may lack flexibility in frequency and beam type configuration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and characterize a novel tunable lens with a planar aperture.
• To demonstrate phase-based beamforming using liquid channels and controlled speed-of-sound profiles.
• To evaluate the lens's performance for various focal configurations and beam types.

Main Methods:

• The lens utilizes an array of liquid channels to create specific speed-of-sound profiles.
• Phase patterns are generated by dynamically adjusting liquid properties within the channels.
• Field measurements were conducted to assess the lens's beamforming capabilities and compare it to established designs.

Main Results:

• The tunable lens successfully generated desired phase patterns for beamforming.
• Performance was found to be comparable to stepped lens designs, such as the fraxicon.
• The lens demonstrated flexibility in configuring for different frequencies and beam types without structural modification.

Conclusions:

• The planar, tunable lens offers a reconfigurable approach to phase-based beamforming.
• Its design enables versatile applications in areas including nearfield trapping, imaging, and therapeutics.
• This technology presents a promising alternative to conventional beamforming systems.