1055358 (CAREER) Xingwei (Vivian) Wang University of Massachusetts, Lowell CAREER: Novel Mechanism for Generation and Receiving of Ultrasound on a Single Fiber Using Nanoparticles
The goal of this CARRER research is to investigate and create a novel mechanism to systematically integrate an ultrasound receiving module and a generation module using nanoparticles into a single optical fiber so that it can steer the ultrasound to any desired direction.
Intellectual Merit:
1) The fundamental research will strive to eliminate the critical constraint, low efficiency, which has been restricting the practical applications of the optical fiber ultrasound generators. 2) The outcome of this research will open up a new avenue for research on integration of ultrasound generation and receiving on a single optical fiber tip. 3) The research will be the first attempt to optically steer the direction of ultrasound generated in an optical fiber which can allow fast 360-degree cross section view and defect detection in any angle.
Broader Impacts:
1) The fundamental research will have a direct impact on the creation of the world?s smallest duplex ultrasound probe. The probe can be used for diagnosis of coronary artery disease which is the No. 1 killer in USA. It can assess the stent effectiveness and diagnose misplacement of stents which occurs in 66.5% of the 1 million coronary artery disease patients each year. Other applications include structural health monitoring, surveillance in unmanned miniature vehicles, and navigation in autonomous intelligence robotics. 2) Educational initiatives will broaden participation of the underrepresented groups, especially female students.
