Methods and devices for optoacoustic stimulation

Abstract

A tapered fiber optoacoustic emitter includes a nanosecond laser configured to emit laser pulses and an optic fiber. The optic fiber includes a tip configured to guide the laser pulses. The tip has a coating including a diffusion layer and a thermal expansion layer, wherein the diffusion layer includes epoxy and zinc oxide nanoparticles configured to diffuse the light while restricting localized heating. The thermal expansion layer includes carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) configured to convert the laser pulses to generate ultrasound. The frequency of the ultrasound is tuned with a thickness of the diffusion layer and a CNT concentration of the expansion layer.

1 . A tapered fiber optoacoustic emitter (TFOE) comprising:
 a nanosecond laser configured to emit laser pulses; and   an optic fiber with a tip, the optic fiber configured to guide the laser pulses, the tip having a coating including a diffusion layer and a thermal expansion layer,
 wherein: 
 the diffusion layer comprises epoxy and zinc oxide nanoparticles configured to diffuse the light while restricting localized heating; 
 the thermal expansion layer comprises carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) configured to convert the laser pulses to generate ultrasound; and 
 the frequency of the ultrasound is tuned with a thickness of the diffusion layer and a CNT concentration of the expansion layer.