Acoustic-wave sensor, acoustic-wave sensor array, and ultrasonic imaging apparatus
First Claim
1. An acoustic-wave sensor comprising:
- A base plate;
a membrane adapted to face the base plate and to be vibrated and displaced by an acoustic wave;
a waveguide for transmitting light therein;
an optical coupling part to which the light transmitted through said waveguide is adapted to be optically coupled;
wherein one element out of the waveguide and the optical coupling part is fixed to the membrane and the other is fixed to the base plate, so that displacement of the membrane changes a relative distance between the waveguide and the optical coupling part,wherein an optical signal is output which corresponds to an optical coupling coefficient between said waveguide and said optical coupling part, said optical coupling coefficient being changed in accordance with the relative distance between said waveguide and said optical coupling part; and
further comprising an annular support member connected between the base plate and the membrane.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An acoustic-wave sensor (10) is constructed by a membrane (11) adapted to be displaced by an acoustic wave, a first waveguide (16a) for transmitting light therein, an optical coupling part (15) to which the light transmitted through the first waveguide (16a) is adapted to be optically coupled, and a second waveguide (16b) through which the light coupled from the optical coupling part (15) transmits. When the membrane (11) is displaced by its reception of the acoustic wave, at least one of an optical coupling coefficient between the first waveguide (16a) and the optical resonator (15) and an optical coupling coefficient between the second waveguide (16b) and the optical resonator (15) is changed to output a corresponding optical signal.
14 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An acoustic-wave sensor comprising:
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A base plate; a membrane adapted to face the base plate and to be vibrated and displaced by an acoustic wave;
a waveguide for transmitting light therein;an optical coupling part to which the light transmitted through said waveguide is adapted to be optically coupled; wherein one element out of the waveguide and the optical coupling part is fixed to the membrane and the other is fixed to the base plate, so that displacement of the membrane changes a relative distance between the waveguide and the optical coupling part, wherein an optical signal is output which corresponds to an optical coupling coefficient between said waveguide and said optical coupling part, said optical coupling coefficient being changed in accordance with the relative distance between said waveguide and said optical coupling part; and further comprising an annular support member connected between the base plate and the membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 23, 24)
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11. An acoustic-wave sensor comprising:
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a base plate; a membrane adapted to face the base plate and to be vibrated and displaced by an acoustic wave; a first waveguide for transmitting light therein; an optical coupling part to which the light transmitted through said first waveguide is adapted to be optically coupled; a second waveguide in which the light coupled from said optical coupling part transmits, wherein the optical coupling part is fixed to the membrane and the first and second waveguides are fixed to the base plate, so that displacement of the membrane changes a relative distance between the optical coupling part and the first and second waveguides, wherein an optical signal is output which corresponds to at least one of a first optical coupling coefficient between said first waveguide and said optical coupling part and a second optical coupling coefficient between said second waveguide and said optical coupling part, wherein said first optical coupling coefficient is changed in accordance with the relative distance between said optical coupling part and said first waveguide, and wherein said second optical coupling coefficient is changed in accordance with the relative distance between said second waveguide and said optical coupling part, and further comprising an annular support member connected between the base plate and the membrane. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An acoustic-wave sensor comprising:
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a base plate; a membrane adapted to face the base plate and to be vibrated and displaced by an acoustic wave;
a first waveguide for transmitting light therein;a second waveguide in which the light coupled from said first waveguide transmits, wherein one waveguide out of the first waveguide and the second waveguide is fixed to the membrane and the other is fixed to the base plate, so that displacement of the membrane changes a relative distance between the first waveguide and the second waveguide, wherein an optical signal is output which corresponds to an optical coupling coefficient between said first waveguide and said second waveguide, and wherein said optical coupling coefficient is changed in accordance with the relative distance between said second waveguide and said first waveguide; and further comprising an annular support member connected between the base plate and the membrane. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification