SOUND WAVE SENSOR, SOUND WAVE SENSOR ARRAY, AND ULTRASONIC IMAGING DEVICE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sound wave sensor which uses a photodetection system and is based on an entirely novel detection principle which has never been heretofore. SOLUTION: The sound wave sensor 10 is composed of a membrane 11 which is displaced by a sound wave, a first waveguide 16a for propagating light, an optical resonator 15 wherein the light propagated through the first waveguide 16a can be coupled together and a second waveguide 16b through which the coupled light is propagated from the optical coupling part 15. When the membrane 11 is displaced by receiving the sound wave, at least either an optical coupling factor of the first waveguide 16a with the optical resonator 15 or the optical coupling factor of the second waveguide 16b with the optical resonator 15 changes and a light signal according to it is output. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT