Handheld probe integrating laser diode and ultrasound transducer array for ultrasound/photoacoustic dual modality imaging.

Ultrasound and photoacoustics can be utilized as complementary imaging techniques to improve clinical diagnoses. Photoacoustics provides optical contrast and functional information while ultrasound provides structural and anatomical information. As of yet, photoacoustic imaging uses large and expensive systems, which limits their clinical application and makes the combination costly and impracticable. In this work we present and evaluate a compact and ergonomically designed handheld probe, connected to a portable ultrasound system for inexpensive, real-time dual-modality ultrasound/photoacoustic imaging. The probe integrates an ultrasound transducer array and a highly efficient diode stack laser emitting 130 ns pulses at 805 nm wavelength and a pulse energy of 0.56 mJ, with a high pulse repetition frequency of up to 10 kHz. The diodes are driven by a customized laser driver, which can be triggered externally with a high temporal stability necessary to synchronize the ultrasound detection and laser pulsing. The emitted beam is collimated with cylindrical micro-lenses and shaped using a diffractive optical element, delivering a homogenized rectangular light intensity distribution. The system performance was tested in vitro and in vivo by imaging a human finger joint.

Ordered nanostructures written directly by laser interference.

We present a simplified method to employ laser interference lithography for the fabrication of ordered nanostructures. Neither resist, nor an elaborate fabrication process was needed. Four-beam interference patterns generated in this work included periodic arrays of holes in GaAs, covered with SiO(2) bubbles, and they were directly written into the sample. The diameters of the smallest holes were less than 30 nm. We propose a model to interpret the results.

Light-induced refractive-index modifications in dielectric thin films: experimental determination of relaxation time and amplitude.

A two-beam setup based on the totally reflecting prism coupler is shown to be a powerful means of characterizing light-induced refractive-index modifications in dielectric thin films. Rise and relaxation times and amplitudes of thin-film refractive-index variations can be measured. Some developments of the electromagnetic theory of prism coupling are presented for Gaussian incident beams. Measurements made on a single Ta(2)O(5) layer deposited on a silica glass are presented. Relaxation times of a few milliseconds reveal the thermal origin of the phenomena. The thermal nonlinear coefficient of this Ta(2)O(5) layer is nearly 10(-15) m(2)/W.

Fabry-perot multilayers for enhancing the diffraction efficiency of ion-implanted gratings.

Enhancement of the free-space diffraction efficiency of gratings made by titanium-ion implantation is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally. Indeed, by insertion of a grating into a multilayer dielectric Fabry-Perot cavity, the diffraction efficiency can be increased to as much as 24 times that of a single grating. The sensitivity of the diffraction efficiency to the optogeometrical parameters of the grating or of the Fabry-Perot cavity is discussed. Moreover, a process for performance of a phase grating inside a Fabry-Perot cavity is described, and experimental results concerning efficiency measurements are compared with computed values for various grating periods.