Liquid crystal materials have a potential for detecting and visualizing ultrasound images. However, because of their low sensitivity, acousto-optical displays that use these materials have not been pursued for medical imaging applications. This research investigates new liquid crystal materials capable of enhanced detection sensitivity of acousto-optical displays by a factor of 10,000. Underlying physical mechanisms are studied in the acousto-optical interaction, and a foundation is developed for an ultrasonic imaging system for detection of breast cancer.
