CAREER: Turbid Acousto-Optics

9734491 Wang本研究项目由早期职业发展（Career）计划资助。这个首要项目强调了美国国家科学基金会对学术生涯早期发展的重视，致力于刺激发现过程，通过启发性教学和热情学习来增强研究的兴奋。它将最高质量和最广泛意义上的研究和教育支持结合在一个项目中。该研究活动涉及使用超声调制光学断层扫描（USMOT），这是一种结合超声换能器和激光系统的新型系统，用于研究液体和凝胶混浊介质（例如生物组织）中的声光效应。活动的具体任务包括：1)混浊声光计算机建模；2)超声波对光的超声调制效应；3)光源对光的超声调制的影响；4)超声波与光的相对构型对光的超声调制的影响；5)介质的声学、光学性质和几何形状的影响；6)浑浊介质图像的表征与优化。该教育计划旨在直接让学生参与研究，具体目标包括开发光学成像新课程，扩展现有的医学成像课程，并通过德州农工大学暑期学生计划向大学预科学生推广。混浊声光学作为光学工程的一个新领域，在医学、水下探测、大气光学等领域具有广阔的应用前景。＊＊＊

9734491 Wang This research project is supported under the Early Career Development (CAREER) program. This premier program emphasizes the importance the National Science Foundation places on the early development of academic careers dedicated to stimulating the discovery process in which the excitement of research is enhanced by inspired teaching and enthusiastic learning. It combines in a single program the support of research and education of the highest quality and in the broadest sense. The research activity involves the use of ultrasound-modulated optical tomography (USMOT), a novel system combining an ultrasonic transducer and a laser system, to study the acousto- optical effects in liquid and gel turbid media (e.g. biological tissues). The specific tasks of the activity include: 1) computer modeling of turbid acousto-optics; 2) effects of the ultrasonic wave on the ultrasound modulation of light; 3) effects of the light source on the ultrasound modulation of light; 4) effects of the relative configuration between the ultrasonic wave and light on the ultrasound modulation of light; 5) effects of the acoustic and optical properties and geometry of the media; and 6) characterization and optimization of images of turbid media. The educational plan aims to directly involve students in the research, with specific goals including the development of a new course in Optical Imaging, expansion of an existing course in Medical Imaging, and outreach to pre-college students through the Texas A&M Summer Student Program. It is conjectured that the development of turbid acousto-optics as a new field in optical engineering may lead to applications in medicine, underwater detection, and atmospheric optics. ***