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Hair Cells

Hair Cells

Hair cells are the sensory receptors of the auditory system—they transduce mechanical sound waves into electrical energy that the nervous system can understand. Hair cells are located in the organ of Corti within the cochlea of the inner ear, between the basilar and tectorial membranes. The actual sensory receptors are called inner hair cells. The outer hair cells serve other functions, such as sound amplification in the cochlea, and are not discussed in detail here.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 11, 2025

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities

Published on: November 30, 2012

Fibre-coupled photonic crystal hydrophone.

Lauren R McQueen, Nathaniel Bawden, Benjamin J Carey

|August 13, 2025

Summary

Researchers developed a tiny silicon photonic hydrophone for detecting acoustic waves. This miniature device offers high sensitivity and potential for underwater imaging and communication.

Area of Science:

Photonics
Acoustics
Materials Science

Background:

Acoustic wave detection is crucial for sonar, navigation, and industrial processes.
Traditional piezoelectric hydrophones are bulky and power-intensive.
Photonic hydrophones offer a miniaturized alternative with comparable sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

To demonstrate a micron-sized, free-standing silicon photonic hydrophone.
To evaluate its sensitivity and minimum detectable pressure.
To assess its potential for underwater applications.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of a silicon photonic chip.
Characterization of hydrophone sensitivity from 10-200 kHz.
Deployment in a wave flume for underwater testing.

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Author Spotlight: A Stable Phantom Material for Optical and Acoustic Imaging

Author Spotlight: A Stable Phantom Material for Optical and Acoustic Imaging

Published on: June 16, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 11, 2025

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities

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Published on: November 30, 2012

Fabrication of 1-D Photonic Crystal Cavity on a Nanofiber Using Femtosecond Laser-induced Ablation

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Published on: February 25, 2017

Author Spotlight: A Stable Phantom Material for Optical and Acoustic Imaging

Author Spotlight: A Stable Phantom Material for Optical and Acoustic Imaging

Published on: June 16, 2023

Main Results:

Achieved sensitivity on the order of ~mPa/√Hz from 10-200 kHz.
Demonstrated a minimum detectable pressure of 145 µPa/√Hz at 22 kHz.
Validated performance in a wave flume, matching commercial hydrophone sensitivity.

Conclusions:

The silicon photonic hydrophone is highly sensitive and significantly smaller than conventional devices.
Its miniaturization enables high-resolution imaging of micro-scale acoustic features, such as cellular vibrations.
Potential applications include underwater communication, imaging, and advanced acoustic sensing.