ULTRASONIC IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD USING QUANTUM WELL ELEMENT ENABLING OPTICAL INTERCONNECTION

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical modulator having a high dynamic range and small power dissipation. SOLUTION: This imaging system 100 includes a plurality of interconnect channels enabling optical communication between an ultrasonic probe 102 including an array 104 of ultrasonic transducers and an image pickup console 108. Each interconnect channel includes a quantum well element 110 for receiving an electric signal from the corresponding transducer. The quantum well element 110 receives an input optical signal and supplies a light signal modulated according to the amplitude change of the electric signal. The optical cable assemblies 122, 124 transmit a light input signal received from an image pickup console by the quantum well element.