A linear array scanning Brillouin scattering elastic imaging device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a linear array scanning Brillouin scattering elastic imaging device. In the device, a signal generating system comprises a narrow linewidth continuous laser, a half-wave plate, a beam expander, a Y-direction scanning galvanometer, a microlens array, a pinhole array filter, a first plano-convex lens, a polarization beam splitter, a quarter-wave plate, and a microscope objective lens; the signal receiving system comprises a microscope objective lens, a quarter-wave plate, a polarization beam splitter, and an eight-channel fiber collimator array; each channel of an eight-channel spectrometer comprises a fiber collimator, a convex lens, a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer, a photomultiplier tube, and an eight-channel photon acquisition card; the present invention adopts a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer spectrometer to simultaneously resolve Brillouin scattering signals at eight different positions generated by the microarray lens, thereby being able to achieve rapid and high-resolution detection of the elastic modulus of the sample's X-Y plane by controlling the scanning time of the Y-direction scanning galvanometer and the acquisition time of the eight-channel photon acquisition card.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of imaging technology, and in particular to a linear array scanning Brillouin scattering elastic imaging device. Background Art

[0002] As a measurement system device, the present invention mainly combines three devices: a microlens array, a scanning galvanometer and an eight-channel spectrometer to quickly and highly resolve the elastic modulus of various parts of biological tissues. The idea of the invention is that Brillouin scattering is an inelastic scattering process, and its spectral characteristics are closely related to the properties of the medium (such as density, viscosity, elastic modulus, etc.). Therefore, Brillouin scattering elastic imaging technology can be used to measure the elastic modulus of biological tissues. The current Brillouin scattering elastic imaging system mainly uses two methods to perform elastic imaging of a certain area of the sample. One is to place the sample on a three-dimensional displacement table for three-dimensional elastic detection; the other is to add a scanning galvanometer to the system to scan the XY plane and adjust the sample height for Z-axis detection. However, both methods will increase the time required to detect the sample. When using a Brillouin scattering elastic imaging system for in vitro biological tissue elasticity detection, too long a detection time may cause tissue degeneration, which in turn causes the detection result to have a certain difference from the true elasticity of the biological tissue. At the same time, when performing in vivo elasticity detection, too long a detection time may cause certain tissue damage. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the technical problems existing in the prior art and to provide a linear array scanning Brillouin scattering elastic imaging device.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a technical solution: a linear array scanning Brillouin scattering elastic imaging device, the device comprising a signal generating system, a signal receiving system and an eight-channel spectrometer;

[0005] The signal generating system is composed of a narrow linewidth continuous laser, a half-wave plate, a beam expander, a Y-direction scanning galvanometer, a microlens array, a pinhole array filter, a first plano-convex lens, a polarization beam splitter, a quarter-wave plate, and a microscope objective lens. In the signal generating system, the continuous laser emits a laser beam, which passes through the half-wave plate, is expanded by the beam expander, and is then reflected by the Y-direction scanning galvanometer lens to the microlens array. After being filtered by the pinhole array and focused by the first plano-convex lens, the beam passes through the polarization beam splitter and the quarter-wave plate, and is incident on the objective lens, forming eight beams of focused light on the sample.

[0006] The signal receiving system is composed of a microscope objective, a quarter-wave plate, a polarization beam splitter, and an eight-channel fiber collimator array. In the signal receiving system, eight focused beams excite multiple beams of back-scattered Brillouin signal light at the sample. After passing through the microscope objective and the quarter-wave plate, the multiple beams are reflected by the polarization beam splitter. The reflected signal light is focused by a second plano-convex lens onto the eight-channel fiber collimator array.

[0007] Each channel of the eight-channel spectrometer is composed of a fiber collimator, a convex lens, a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer, a photomultiplier tube and an eight-channel photon acquisition card; multiple beams of backward Brillouin scattered signal light received by the signal receiving system enter the eight-channel spectrometer, and each beam of light enters a different spectrometer channel according to its longitudinal position. In each spectrometer channel, the collimated signal light beam output by the fiber collimator is focused into the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer through the convex lens, and the signal light after frequency demodulation is detected by the photomultiplier tube. The detected scattered signal is collected by the eight-channel photon acquisition card and stored in a computer for processing, and the collected Brillouin spectrum is displayed.

[0008] Preferably, the device also includes a function generator, a piezoelectric ceramic controller, and an oscilloscope. The function generator is used to generate the sawtooth wave or triangle wave voltage required for repeatedly scanning the cavity length of the Fabry-Perot interferometer to scan a free spectrum range of the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer, and the function generator also provides a synchronous trigger signal for the eight-channel photon acquisition card and the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer; the piezoelectric ceramic controller is used to provide a control voltage for the piezoelectric ceramics in the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer; and the oscilloscope is used to display the function generator control signal and the trigger signal waveform received by the eight-channel photon acquisition card.

[0009] Preferably, the eight focused beams in the generating system are obtained by focusing the wide-field single beam expanded by the beam expander through a microlens array, generating a beam array along the X-axis at the sample, and then interacting with the sample at eight positions on the X-axis of the sample at the same time to generate Brillouin scattering signals.

[0010] Preferably, the microlens array is combined with a Y-direction scanning galvanometer, which scans in the Y-axis direction to match the light beam array generated by the microlens array on the X-axis of the sample. The deflection angle of the Y-direction scanning galvanometer is adjusted to move the X-axis light beam array along the Y-direction, thereby realizing the function of detecting the elasticity on the XY surface of the sample.

[0011] Preferably, the microlens array is combined with the Y-direction scanning galvanometer to detect the elasticity of the sample on the XY plane. After completing the detection of the XY plane at a certain height, the sample height is adjusted and the XY plane is re-detected. Through this tomographic detection method, three-dimensional elasticity detection of the sample is achieved.

[0012] Preferably, the eight-channel fiber collimator array is composed of eight fiber collimators connected in parallel, which is used to receive Brillouin scattering signals generated at eight positions in the X-axis direction of the sample and transmit the eight scattered signals to the eight-channel spectrometer respectively.

[0013] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0014] The present invention combines a Y-axis scanning galvanometer with a microarray lens to achieve rapid linear scanning of the sample in the XY plane. A high-spectral-resolution scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer spectrometer is simultaneously used to resolve Brillouin scattering signals at eight different positions generated by the microarray lens. By controlling the scanning time of the Y-axis scanning galvanometer and the acquisition time of an eight-channel photon acquisition card, rapid, high-resolution detection of the elastic modulus of the sample in the XY plane can be achieved. This improves the elasticity detection time of the Brillouin scattering elastography system, reduces differences caused by tissue degeneration, and avoids potential damage to living biological tissues. This is of great significance for the application of the Brillouin scattering elastography system in clinical elasticity testing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The drawings described herein are used to provide further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute improper limitations on the present invention.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the linear array scanning Brillouin scattering elastic imaging device.

[0017] Figure annotation:

[0018] 1-Narrow Linewidth Continuous Laser, 2-Half-Wave Plate, 3-Beam Expander, 4-Y-Axis Scanning Galvanometer, 5-Microlens Array, 6-Pinhole Array Filter, 7-First Plano-Convex Lens, 8-Polarization Beam Splitter, 9-Quarter-Wave Plate, 10-Microscope Objective, 11-Sample, 12-Second Plano-Convex Lens, 13-Eight-Channel Fiber Collimator Array, 14-Fiber Collimator, 15-Convex Lens, 16-Scanning Fabry-Perot Interferometer, 17-Photomultiplier Tube, 18-Eight-Channel Photon Acquisition Card, 19-Function Generator, 20-Piezoelectric Ceramic Controller, 21-Oscilloscope, 22-Computer DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] This section will describe in detail the specific embodiments of the present invention. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings. The purpose of the accompanying drawings is to supplement the description of the text part of the specification with graphics, so that people can intuitively and vividly understand each technical feature and the overall technical solution of the present invention, but it should not be understood as a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] In the description of the present invention, "several" means one or more, "many" means more than two, "greater than," "less than," and "exceed" are understood to exclude the number itself, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the number itself. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is solely for the purpose of distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, implicitly specifying the number of the indicated technical features, or implicitly specifying the order of the indicated technical features.

[0021] Reference Figure 1 , a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a linear array scanning Brillouin scattering elastic imaging device, the device includes a signal generating system, a signal receiving system and an eight-channel spectrometer;

[0022] The signal generating system is composed of a narrow-linewidth continuous laser 1, a half-wave plate 2, a beam expander 3, a Y-direction scanning galvanometer 4, a microlens array 5, a pinhole array filter 6, a first plano-convex lens 7, a polarization beam splitter 8, a quarter-wave plate 9, and a microscope objective 10. In the signal generating system, the narrow-linewidth continuous laser 1 emits a laser beam, which passes through the half-wave plate 2, is expanded by the beam expander 3, and is then reflected by the Y-direction scanning galvanometer 4 to the microlens array 5. After being focused by the pinhole array filter 6 and the first plano-convex lens 7, it passes through the polarization beam splitter 8 and the quarter-wave plate 9 and is incident on the microscope objective 10, forming eight beams of focused light on the sample 11.

[0023] The signal receiving system is composed of a microscope objective 10, a quarter-wave plate 9, a polarization beam splitter 8, and an eight-channel fiber collimator array 13. In the signal receiving system, eight focused beams excite multiple beams of back-scattered Brillouin signal light at the sample 11. After passing through the microscope objective 10 and the quarter-wave plate 9, the multiple beams are reflected by the polarization beam splitter 8. The reflected signal light is focused by a second plano-convex lens 12 onto the eight-channel fiber collimator array 13.

[0024] Each channel of the eight-channel spectrometer is composed of a fiber collimator 14, a convex lens 15, a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer 16, a photomultiplier tube 17 and an eight-channel photon acquisition card 18; multiple beams of backscattered signal light received by the signal receiving system enter the eight-channel spectrometer, and each beam of light enters a different spectrometer channel according to its longitudinal position. In each spectrometer channel, the collimated signal light beam output by the fiber collimator 14 is focused by the convex lens 15 to the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer 16, and the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer The high finesse of 16 gives the spectrometer system an extremely high spectral resolution, which enables it to distinguish tiny Brillouin frequency shifts, thereby distinguishing tiny elastic differences at different positions of the sample 11; the signal light after demodulation is detected by the photomultiplier tube 17, and the detected scattering signal is collected by the eight-channel photon acquisition card 18 and stored in the computer 22 for processing, and the collected Brillouin spectrum is displayed; the eight-channel photon acquisition card 18 receives and stores the Brillouin scattering signals at eight positions in the X-axis direction collected by the photomultiplier tube 17, and simultaneously records and displays the Brillouin spectrum.

[0025] Specifically, the microlens array 5 simultaneously excites Brillouin scattering signals at eight positions in the X direction, and the Y-direction scanning galvanometer 4 can scan the light beam along the Y direction. The Y-direction scanning galvanometer 4 is combined with the microlens array 5 to realize rapid linear array scanning of the sample 11 in the XY plane. At the same time, a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer 16 of an eight-channel spectrometer with high spectral resolution is used to simultaneously resolve the Brillouin scattering signals at eight different positions generated by the microlens array 5. By controlling the scanning time of the Y-direction scanning galvanometer 4 and the acquisition time of the eight-channel photon acquisition card 18, rapid and high-resolution detection of the elastic modulus of the XY plane of the sample 11 can be achieved.

[0026] The present invention improves the elasticity detection time of the Brillouin scattering elastography system, reduces the differences caused by tissue degeneration, and avoids possible damage to living biological tissues. It is of great significance for the application of the Brillouin scattering elastography system in clinical elasticity detection.

[0027] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it may also have the following additional technical features:

[0028] In this embodiment, the device also includes a function generator 19, a piezoelectric ceramic controller 20, and an oscilloscope 21. The function generator 19 is used to generate the sawtooth wave or triangle wave voltage required for repeatedly scanning the cavity length of the Fabry-Perot interferometer 16 to scan a free spectrum range of the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer 16, and the function generator 19 also provides a synchronous trigger signal for the eight-channel photon acquisition card 18 and the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer 16; the piezoelectric ceramic controller 20 is used to provide a control voltage for the piezoelectric ceramics in the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer 16; and the oscilloscope 21 is used to display the control signal of the function generator 19 and the trigger signal waveform received by the eight-channel photon acquisition card 18.

[0029] In this embodiment, the eight focused beams in the signal generating system are obtained by focusing the wide-field single beam expanded by the beam expander 3 by the microlens array 5, generating a beam array along the X-axis at the sample 11, and then interacting with the sample at eight positions on the X-axis of the sample 11 at the same time to generate Brillouin scattering signals.

[0030] In this embodiment, the microlens array 5 is combined with the Y-direction scanning galvanometer 4, and the Y-direction scanning galvanometer 4 scans in the Y-axis direction to match the light beam array generated by the microlens array 5 on the X-axis of the sample 11. The deflection angle of the Y-direction scanning galvanometer 4 is adjusted to move the X-axis light beam array along the Y-direction, thereby realizing the effect of detecting the elasticity on the XY surface of the sample 11.

[0031] In this embodiment, the microlens array 5 is combined with the Y-direction scanning galvanometer 4 to detect the elasticity of the sample on the XY plane. After completing the detection of the XY plane at a certain height, the height of the sample 11 is adjusted and the XY plane is re-detected. Through this tomographic detection method, three-dimensional elasticity detection of the sample 11 is achieved.

[0032] In this embodiment, the eight-channel fiber collimator array 13 is composed of eight fiber collimators 14 connected in parallel, which is used to receive Brillouin scattering signals generated at eight positions in the X-axis direction of the sample 11 and transmit the eight scattered signals to the eight-channel spectrometer respectively.

[0033] Under the premise that no conflict occurs, those skilled in the art may freely combine and superimpose the above-mentioned additional technical features.

[0034] The above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of the present invention. Any technical solution that achieves the purpose of the present invention by substantially the same means shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A linear scanning Brillouin scattering elastic imaging device, characterized by: The device includes a signal generating system, a signal receiving system and an eight-channel spectrometer; The signal generating system is composed of a narrow linewidth continuous laser, a half-wave plate, a beam expander, a Y-direction scanning galvanometer, a microlens array, a pinhole array filter, a first plano-convex lens, a polarization beam splitter, a quarter-wave plate, and a microscope objective lens. In the signal generating system, the continuous laser emits a laser beam, which passes through the half-wave plate, is expanded by the beam expander, and is then reflected by the Y-direction scanning galvanometer lens to the microlens array. After being filtered by the pinhole array and focused by the first plano-convex lens, the beam passes through the polarization beam splitter and the quarter-wave plate, and is incident on the objective lens, forming eight beams of focused light on the sample. The signal receiving system is composed of a microscope objective, a quarter-wave plate, a polarization beam splitter, and an eight-channel fiber collimator array. In the signal receiving system, eight focused beams excite multiple beams of back-scattered Brillouin signal light at the sample. After passing through the microscope objective and the quarter-wave plate, the multiple beams are reflected by the polarization beam splitter. The reflected signal light is focused by a second plano-convex lens onto the eight-channel fiber collimator array. Each channel of the eight-channel spectrometer consists of a fiber collimator, a convex lens, a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer, a photomultiplier tube and an eight-channel photon acquisition card; multiple beams of backward Brillouin scattered signal light received by the signal receiving system enter the eight-channel spectrometer, and each beam of light enters a different spectrometer channel according to its longitudinal position. In each spectrometer channel, the collimated signal light beam output by the fiber collimator is focused into the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer through the convex lens, and the signal light after frequency demodulation is detected by the photomultiplier tube. The detected scattered signal is collected by the eight-channel photon acquisition card and stored in a computer for processing, and the collected Brillouin spectrum is displayed.

2. The linear scanning Brillouin scattering elastic imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The device also includes a function generator, a piezoelectric ceramic controller, and an oscilloscope. The function generator is used to generate the sawtooth wave or triangle wave voltage required for repeatedly scanning the cavity length of the Fabry-Perot interferometer to sweep across a free spectrum range of the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer, and the function generator also provides a synchronous trigger signal for the eight-channel photon acquisition card and the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer; the piezoelectric ceramic controller is used to provide a control voltage for the piezoelectric ceramics in the scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer; and the oscilloscope is used to display the function generator control signal and the trigger signal waveform received by the eight-channel photon acquisition card.

3. The linear scanning Brillouin scattering elastic imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The microlens array is combined with the Y-axis scanning galvanometer to detect the elasticity of the sample on the XY plane. After completing the detection of the XY plane at a certain height, the height is adjusted and the XY plane is re-detected. Through this tomographic detection method, three-dimensional elasticity detection of the sample is achieved.

4. The linear scanning Brillouin scattering elastic imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The eight-channel fiber collimator array consists of eight fiber collimators connected in parallel, which are used to receive Brillouin scattering signals generated at eight positions in the X-axis direction of the sample and transmit the eight scattered signals to the eight-channel spectrometer respectively.

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