Ultrasonic holographic imaging apparatus having an improved optical reconstruction system
AssigneeAdvanced Imaging Systems, Inc.
InventorGeorge F. Garlick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A preferred embodiment of the optical reconstruction assembly 50 in which the assembly 50 includes an assembly housing 52 that is a unitary unit for supporting a spatial filter 72 and a light source 74 in a single plane at the optical length "L" from a collimating lens 86. A liquid container 88 is mounted to the assembly housing 52 containing the holographic liquid 90. The light source 74 and the spatial filter 72 are spaced a fixed distance "A" which is less than the optical diameter "D" of the collimating lens 86.
Claims29
An ultrasonic holographic imaging apparatus for forming an ultrasonic hologram of an object and for generating a visual image of the object from the ultrasonic hologram, comprising:
- a) an ultrasonic holographic detection surface composed of a liquid surface of a selected liquid;
- b) an ultrasonic transducer means for (1) directing an object beam of ultrasound through the object and onto the holographic detection surface, and (2) directing a reference beam onto the holographic detention surface interfering with the object beam to form an ultrasonic hologram on the detection surface;
- c) an optical reconstruction assembly for forming a visual image of the object from the ultrasonic hologram, comprising:
- 1) an optical collimating lens having an optical axis;
- 2) a source of coherent light aligned relative to the optical axis for generating a coherent light beam and directing the light beam through the collimating lens illuminating the hologram on the liquid surface and generating a plurality of diffracted beams from the liquid surface;
- 3) a spatial filter aligned relative to the optical axis projecting into paths of the diffracted beams in which the filter has a transparent element for transmitting at least one of the diffracted beams defining an unfiltered diffracted beam containing an optical image of the object through the spatial filter;
- 4) observation means projecting into the path of the unfiltered diffracted beam for viewing the optical image;
- and
- 5) an assembly calibrating means operatively connected to the collimating lens, the coherent light source and the spatial filter for moving the collimating lens, the coherent light source and the spatial filter in unison to align the optical axis perpendicular to the liquid surface.
In an ultasonic holographic imaging apparatus for forming an ultrasonic hologram of an object,
- an optical reconstruction assembly for forming a visual image of the object from the ultrasonic hologram, comprising:
- a) an unitary assembly housing;
- b) an optical collimating lens mounted to the unitary assembly housing, in which the lens has a preselected lens diameter and a preselected focal length relative to an optical axis;
- c) a source of coherent light mounted to the unitary assembly housing for generating a coherent light beam and directing the light beam through the collimating lens to illuminate the hologram and generate a plurality of diffracted beams from the hologram, including a zero order diffracted beam and a first order diffracted beam;
- d) a spatial filter mounted to the unitary assembly housing for projecting into the path of the plurality of diffracted beams in which the spatial filter has a transparent element for transmitting at least one of the diffracted beams while blocking others;
- and
- e) an observation means for receiving one of the transmitted beams to visually view the object and
- f) wherein the unitary assembly housing operatively interconnects the optical collimating lens, the source of coherent light and the spacial filter to enable the optical collimating lens, the source of coherent light and the spacial filter to be moved in unison while maintaining the source of coherent light and the spacial filter in fixed relationship to the optical collimating lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.