Phonon imaging in 3D with a fibre probe

La Cavera III, Salvatore; Pérez-Cota, Fernando; Smith, Richard J.; Clark, Matt

Abstract

We show for the first time that a single ultrasonic imaging fibre is capable of simultaneously accessing 3D spatial information and mechanical properties from microscopic objects. The novel measurement system consists of two ultrafast lasers that excite and detect high-frequency ultrasound from a nano-transducer that was fabricated onto the tip of a single-mode optical fibre. A signal processing technique was also developed to extract nanometric in-depth spatial measurements from GHz frequency acoustic waves, while still allowing Brillouin spectroscopy in the frequency domain. Label-free and non-contact imaging performance was demonstrated on various polymer microstructures. This singular device is equipped with optical lateral resolution, 2.5 μm, and a depth-profiling precision of 45 nm provided by acoustics. The endoscopic potential for this device is exhibited by extrapolating the single fibre to tens of thousands of fibres in an imaging bundle. Such a device catalyses future phonon endomicroscopy technology that brings the prospect of label-free in vivo histology within reach.

Citation

La Cavera III, S., Pérez-Cota, F., Smith, R. J., & Clark, M. (2021). Phonon imaging in 3D with a fibre probe. Light: Science and Applications, 10, Article 91. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-021-00532-7

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 7, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Apr 27, 2021
• Publication Date: Apr 27, 2021
• Deposit Date: Apr 19, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 28, 2021
• Journal: Light: Science & Applications
• Electronic ISSN: 2047-7538
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Article Number: 91
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-021-00532-7
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5482629
• Publisher URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41377-021-00532-7