Multifunctional tapered fiber-based micro-waveguide for optical ultrasound microsensors

TL;DR

This paper introduces a tapered fiber-based micro-waveguide that enables miniaturization of optical ultrasound microsensors by serving as a waveguide, light delivery, and ultrasound excitation component, supported by theoretical analysis and simulation.

Contribution

The study presents a novel tapered fiber-based micro-waveguide design that enhances the functionality and miniaturization of optical ultrasound microsensors.

Findings

Design effectively transports ultrasound signals

Simulations show improved sensor integration

Potential for further size reduction

Abstract

Various optical ultrasound microsensors have been developed with size ranging from tens to hundreds of micrometers. However, it becomes challenging to further minimize these sensors' size. In this work, we proposed a method that use a tapered fiber-based micro-waveguide (TFMW) attaching to the optical microsensor to bypass this challenge. The TFMW not only serves as the waveguide to transport ultrasound, but can also deliver light and actively excite ultrasound. In this study, we proposed the design and analyzed its performance using theoretical analysis and simulation.