Patent ID: 7624640
Filing Date: 2009-12-01
Classification: A61B,G01N

Abstract:
1. An opto-acoustic transducer assembly comprising: a substrate; at least one layer of opto-acoustic material coupled to a surface of the substrate, where the at least one layer of opto-acoustic material generates sound waves when struck by pulses of pump light; and an acoustic lens configured to focus sound waves generated by the at least one layer of opto-acoustic material towards a sample, said acoustic lens further configured to collect sound waves returning from the sample and to direct the returning sound waves to said at least one layer of opto-acoustic material, said at least one layer of opto-acoustic material being responsive to the returning sound waves for having at least one optical property thereof changed, the change being detectable from a change in a characteristic of reflected pulses of probe light that are time delayed with respect to the pulses of pump light.