Optically transparent ultrasound transducers for combined ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging: A review (초음파-광음향 융합 영상을 위한 투명 초음파 변환기)
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- The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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- v.42 no.5
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- pp.441-451
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- 2023
Ultrasound transducers are an essential component of combined photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging systems and play an important role in image evaluation. However, ultrasound transducers are opaque; therefore, light must bypass the ultrasound transducer to reach the target point to produce a photoacoustic image. Providing different paths for the optical and acoustic signals results in a complicated system design, increasing the system volume. To overcome these problems, an optically Transparent Ultrasound Transducer (TUT) was developed. Unlike conventional opaque ultrasound transducers, optically TUT can be fabricated by a variety of manufacturing methods and they are suitable for use with specific piezoelectric elements and serve various purposes. In this study, a comparative analysis of the results of using Lithium Niobate (LNO), Lead Magnesium Niobate-Lead Titanate (PMN-PT), and Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF), which are materials used in piezoelectric element-based TUT. LNO is a piezoelectric element widely used in TUT, and PMN-PT has been actively studied recently with a higher transmission and reception rate than LNO. Existing TUT have lower ultrasound resolution than photoacoustic resolution, but they have recently been manufacturing focused TUT with high ultrasound resolution using PVDF. A comparative analysis of the production results of these TUT was performed.
To achieve high resolution and sensitivity of positron emission tomography (PET) for small animals, the detector is constructed using very thin and long scintillation pixels. Due to the structure of these scintillation pixels, spatial resolution deterioration occurs outside the system's field of view. To solve this problem, we designed a detector that could improve spatial resolution by measuring the interaction depth and improve sensitivity by using a quasi-block scintillator. A quasi-block scintillator size of 12.6 mm x 12.6 mm x 3 mm was arranged in four layers, and optical sensors were placed on all sides to collect light generated by the interaction between gamma rays and the scintillator. DETECT2000 simulation was performed to evaluate the performance of the designed detector. Flood images were acquired by generating gamma-ray events at 1 mm intervals from 1.3 mm to 11.3 mm within the scintillator of each layer. The spatial resolution and peak-to-peak distance for each location were measured in an 11 x 11 array of flood images. The average measured spatial resolution was 0.25 mm, and the average distance between peaks was 1.0 mm. Through this, it was confirmed that all locations were separated from each other. In addition, because the light signals of all layers were measured separately from each other, the layer of the scintillator that interacted with the gamma rays could be completely separated. When the designed detector is used as a detector in a PET system for small animals, it is considered that excellent spatial resolution and sensitivity can be achieved and image quality can be improved.
Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) with a two-dimensional layered structure have been considered highly promising materials for next-generation flexible, wearable, stretchable and transparent devices due to their unique physical, electrical and optical properties. Recent studies on TMD devices have focused on developing a suitable doping technique because precise control of the threshold voltage (
A new cold neutron triple-axis spectrometer (Cold-TAS) was recently constructed at the 30 MWth research reactor, HANARO. The spectrometer, which is composed of neutron optical components and radiation shield, required a redesign of the segmented monochromator shield due to the lack of adequate support of its weight. To shed some weight, lowering the height of the segmented shield was suggested while adding more radiation shield to the top cover of the monochromator chamber. To investigate the radiological effect of such change, we performed MCNPX simulations of a few different configurations of the Cold-TAS monochromator shield and obtained neutron and photon intensities at 5 reference points just outside the shield. Reducing the 35% of the height of the segmented shield and locating lead 10 cm from the bottom of the top cover made of polyethylene was shown to perform just as well as the original configuration as radiation shield excepting gamma flux at two points. Using gamma map by MCNPX, it was checked that is distribution of gamma. Increased flux had direction to the top and it had longer distance from top of segmented shield. However, because of reducing the 35% of the height, height of dissipated gamma was lower than original geometry. Reducing the 35% of the height of the segmented shield and locating lead 10cm from the bottom of the top cover was selected. After changing geometry, radiation dose was measured by TLD for confirming tester's safety at any condition. Neutron(0.21
Long term observations of full-disk Lyman-o irradiance have been made by the instruments on various satellites. In addition, several sounding rockets dating back to the 1950s and up through the present have measured the
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the activation characteristics that occur in a linear accelerator for container security inspection. In the computer simulation design, first, the targets consisted of a tungsten (Z=74) single material target and a tungsten (Z=74) and copper (Z=29) composite target. Second, the fan beam collimator was composed of a single material of lead (Z=82) and a composite material of tungsten (Z-74) and lead (Z=82) depending on the material. Final, the concrete in the room where the linear accelerator was located contained magnetite type and impurities. In the research method, first, the optical neutron flux was calculated using the MCNP6 code as a F4 Tally for the linear accelerator and structure. Second, the photoneutron flux calculated from the MCNP6 code was applied to FISPACT-II to evaluate the activation product. Final, the decommissioning evaluation was conducted through the specific activity of the activation product. As a result, first, it was the most common in photoneutron targets, followed by a collimator and a concrete 10 cm deep. Second, activation products were produced as by-products of W-181 in tungsten targets and collimator, and Co-60, Ni-63, Cs-134, Eu-152, Eu-154 nuclides in impurity-containing concrete. Final, it was found that the tungsten target satisfies the permissible concentration for self-disposal after 90 days upon decommissioning. These results could be confirmed that the photoneutron yield and degree of activation at 9 MeV energy were insignificant. However, it is thought that W-181 generated from the tungsten target and collimator of the linear accelerator may affect the exposure when disassembled for repair. Therefore, this study presents basic data on the management of activated parts of a linear accelerator for container security inspection. In addition, When decommissioning the linear accelerator for container security inspection, it is expected that it can be used to prove the standard that permissible concentration of self-disposal.
This study has attempted to facilitate various new technologies related to indoor containers and develop a desirable planting environment after investigating the growth (including root growth) of shade-tolerant landscape plants under slit processing, a natural indoor ventilation system. The following results were found: In terms of the shoot growth of Fatsia japonica in a slit container, no distinctive difference was observed in comparison with the control group. However, growth was good when the container 250mm tall or taller. Therefore, it was verified that optical soil depth is more important than slit processing in shoot growth of Fatsia japonica. In Fatsia japonica root length was observed as follows: Control 2(250mm) > Slit 2(250mm) > Control 1(195mm) > Slit 3(360mm) > Control 3(360mm) > Slit 1(195mm). The largest growth was observed in Control 2(250mm), which had no slit processing. In term of root width, this was lower than the initial value in all groups, which means that the root grew vertically, not horizontally. In terms of plant height of Ophiopogon japonicus, a gradual increase was observed in the control group that had no slit processing. No significant growth was detected in the slit system, however. In terms of shoot number, slit containers were generally higher than the control group. In terms of fresh and dry weights, on the contrary, slit containers were mostly lower than the control group. In Ophiopogon japonicus, root length was observed as follows: Slit 2(250mm) > Slit 1(195mm) > Control 2(250mm) > Control 3(360mm) > Slit 3(360mm) > Control 1(195mm). In Ardisia japonica, slit containers were mostly greater than control group in terms of plant height. The greatest plant height was observed at Slit 2(250mm) instead of Slit 1(195mm) and Slit 3(360mm). Except for plant height and shoot number, however, no significant shoot and root growth was observed. Root length was observed as follows: Slit 2(250mm) > Slit 3(360mm) > Control 3(360mm) > Slit 1(195mm) > Control 2(250mm) > Control 1(195mm). Therefore, root length in slit containers was mostly greater than in the control group. The width of root, however, declined in general.
We designed a thermo-optic switch based on a directional coupler with not only a high extinction ratio but also significantly low power consumption. The switch operates by using the thermo-optic effect of the polymer which the refractive index changes by heating the electrode. If the electrode is not powered (OFF), the input light will be coupled completely to the other waveguide. When the electrode is powered at a certain level (ON), input light launched into the input waveguide will remain in that waveguide due to the lower index adjusted in the other waveguide. The switch based on the directional coupler was designed using the generalized extinction ratio curve and the lateral shift of the input waveguide. The coupling length is 1,610
The wall shear stress in the vicinity of end-to end anastomoses under steady flow conditions was measured using a flush-mounted hot-film anemometer(FMHFA) probe. The experimental measurements were in good agreement with numerical results except in flow with low Reynolds numbers. The wall shear stress increased proximal to the anastomosis in flow from the Penrose tubing (simulating an artery) to the PTFE: graft. In flow from the PTFE graft to the Penrose tubing, low wall shear stress was observed distal to the anastomosis. Abnormal distributions of wall shear stress in the vicinity of the anastomosis, resulting from the compliance mismatch between the graft and the host artery, might be an important factor of ANFH formation and the graft failure. The present study suggests a correlation between regions of the low wall shear stress and the development of anastomotic neointimal fibrous hyperplasia(ANPH) in end-to-end anastomoses. 30523 T00401030523 ^x Air pressure decay(APD) rate and ultrafiltration rate(UFR) tests were performed on new and saline rinsed dialyzers as well as those roused in patients several times. C-DAK 4000 (Cordis Dow) and CF IS-11 (Baxter Travenol) reused dialyzers obtained from the dialysis clinic were used in the present study. The new dialyzers exhibited a relatively flat APD, whereas saline rinsed and reused dialyzers showed considerable amount of decay. C-DAH dialyzers had a larger APD(11.70
The wall shear stress in the vicinity of end-to end anastomoses under steady flow conditions was measured using a flush-mounted hot-film anemometer(FMHFA) probe. The experimental measurements were in good agreement with numerical results except in flow with low Reynolds numbers. The wall shear stress increased proximal to the anastomosis in flow from the Penrose tubing (simulating an artery) to the PTFE: graft. In flow from the PTFE graft to the Penrose tubing, low wall shear stress was observed distal to the anastomosis. Abnormal distributions of wall shear stress in the vicinity of the anastomosis, resulting from the compliance mismatch between the graft and the host artery, might be an important factor of ANFH formation and the graft failure. The present study suggests a correlation between regions of the low wall shear stress and the development of anastomotic neointimal fibrous hyperplasia(ANPH) in end-to-end anastomoses. 30523 T00401030523 ^x Air pressure decay(APD) rate and ultrafiltration rate(UFR) tests were performed on new and saline rinsed dialyzers as well as those roused in patients several times. C-DAK 4000 (Cordis Dow) and CF IS-11 (Baxter Travenol) reused dialyzers obtained from the dialysis clinic were used in the present study. The new dialyzers exhibited a relatively flat APD, whereas saline rinsed and reused dialyzers showed considerable amount of decay. C-DAH dialyzers had a larger APD(11.70