Hardware
Optoacoustic imaging consists out of several important key components which will be listed in this document.
Light sources
- nanosecond pulsed laser sources
- typically narrow band
- multispectral options available through dye lasers, OPOs, and supercontinuum lasers
- trend towards laser diodes as a cheap alternative, biggest challenge at the moment is achievable power
Ultrasound transducers
- largely vary in frequency response
- ideally broadband for high resolution
- microscopy reaches up to 100 MHz, tomography typically 1-10 MHz
Piezoelectric materials
- generate voltage when receiving.pressure
- generate pressure when voltage is applied
- different materials out there with different sensitivities, shapes, frequency responses
- shapable materials can be focused through mounting on a spherical surface
- most materials require acoustic lenses though (difficult to model, invoke reflections)