Ultrasonic probe and inspection apparatus equipped with the ultrasonic probe

Abstract

An ultrasonic probe includes a light irradiating portion configured to radiate light for generating ultrasonic waves from a light absorber, an ultrasonic transducing portion configured to transduce the ultrasonic waves to an electric signal, and a light guide member configured to introduce light from a light source to the light irradiating portion. A light irradiating region of the light irradiating portion is included within an ultrasonic receiving region of the ultrasonic transducing portion.

1 . An ultrasonic probe comprising:
 a light irradiating portion configured to radiate light for generating ultrasonic waves from a light absorber;   an ultrasonic transducing portion configured to transduce the ultrasonic waves, which are generated with irradiation of the light from the light irradiating portion, to an electric signal; and   a light guide member configured to introduce light from a light source to the light irradiating portion,   wherein a light irradiating region of the light irradiating portion is included within an ultrasonic receiving region of the ultrasonic transducing portion.   
   
   
       2 . The ultrasonic probe according to  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic transducing portion and the light irradiating portion are disposed such that the ultrasonic receiving region and the light irradiating region are positioned to face each other. 
   
   
       3 . The ultrasonic probe according to  claim 1 , wherein a center of the ultrasonic receiving region matches a center of the light irradiating region. 
   
   
       4 . The ultrasonic probe according to  claim 1 , further comprising a light scatterer disposed on an end surface of the light guide member. 
   
   
       5 . The ultrasonic probe according to  claim 1 , wherein the light guide member is a housing containing a liquid. 
   
   
       6 . The ultrasonic probe according to  claim 1 , wherein the light guide member is a diffusion plate. 
   
   
       7 . The ultrasonic probe according to  claim 1 , wherein a textured structure is formed in a surface of the light guide member to constitute the light irradiating portion. 
   
   
       8 . The ultrasonic probe according to  claim 1 , wherein fine particles having a light diffusion function are dispersed in a surface of the light guide member to constitute the light irradiating portion. 
   
   
       9 . The ultrasonic probe according to  claim 1 , wherein a light-shield mask layer is formed on a surface of the light guide member, and the light irradiating portion receives light from an area of the light guide member in which the light-shield mask layer is not formed. 
   
   
       10 . The ultrasonic probe according to  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the light guide member is curved and the light irradiating portion is constituted by the curved surface. 
   
   
       11 . The ultrasonic probe according to  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic transducing portion is constituted as a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT). 
   
   
       12 . An inspection apparatus using the ultrasonic probe according to  claim 1 , the inspection apparatus comprising:
 a signal processing unit configured to process an ultrasonic signal from the ultrasonic probe;   an image data processing unit configured to reconstruct an image by using data from the signal processing unit; and   a display unit configured to display, as image data, information of an inspection target obtained from the image data processing unit.   
   
   
       13 . The inspection apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising an optical control unit configured to generate a light pulse from a light source.