Patent ID: 8880141

Claim:
A photoacoustic imaging module comprising: a light source configured to emit a light beam in a direction of a target tissue; an ultrasonic transducer array of ultrasonic transducers integrated in a side of a substrate, the ultrasonic transducer array configured to receive ultrasound generated by rapid thermal expansion of the target tissue, each ultrasonic transducer being a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer; and a lens between the light source and the ultrasonic transducer array, the lens being a convex lens or a spreading lens, the lens arranged with respect to the light source and the ultrasonic transducer array such that the light beam directed from the lens passes through ultrasonic transducers of the ultrasonic transducer array in addition to passing through the substrate from a surface of the substrate opposite the side of the substrate on which the ultrasonic transducers are integrated through the ultrasonic transducers including a membrane of each of the respective ultrasonic transducers to the target tissue to excite the target tissue, the lens being arranged to expand the area profile of the light beam to illuminate the target tissue and cause rapid thermal expansion.