Ultrasensitive all-optical scanner for biomedical photoacoustic tomography and acoustic metrology

生物医学光声成像是一种结合了基于强吸收的对比度和超声的高空间分辨率的混合成像技术，使功能和分子成像成为可能。特别是，PA断层扫描已被证明可以弥合更成熟的模式的微观和宏观成像能力之间的差距。这项技术发展的一个关键目标是在保持高空间分辨率的同时，进一步提高图像的穿透深度、对比度和帧速率。实现这些目标最有希望的途径是开发新的声学检测技术，提供更高的检测灵敏度。在本项目中，我们将研制一台基于大口径法布里-珀罗标准具的全光学层析成像系统。使用自适应光学和基于相机的检测，这种方法有可能实现超高灵敏度，同时保持全光学超声检测的所有优势属性，例如用于高空间分辨率的小元件尺寸和宽频率响应、全方位响应以及用于高帧速率的并行信号采集。

Biomedical photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a hybrid technique that combines the strong absorption-based contrast with the high spatial resolution of ultrasound to enable functional and molecular imaging. PA tomography, in particular, has been shown to bridge the gap between the microscopic and macroscopic imaging capabilities of more established modalities. A critical goal in the development of this technology are further improvements in image penetration depth, contrast, and frame rate whilst maintaining high spatial resolution. The most promising route to achieving these goals is the development of new acoustic detection technologies that provide greater detection sensitivity. In this project, an all-optical tomograph based on a large aperture Fabry-Pérot etalon will be developed. Using adaptive optics and camera-based detection, this approach has the potential to achieve ultrahigh sensitivity whilst maintaining all advantageous attributes of all-optical ultrasound detection, such as small element sizes and broad frequency response for high spatial resolution, omnidirectional response, and parallelised signal acquisition for high frame rates.