• Kersemans, Mathias
• Versluis, Michel
• Michels, Simon
• Smet, Philippe
• Lajoinie, Guillaume

Abstract

Acoustically Produced Luminescence (APL) is the phenomenon where luminescent emission is triggered by irradiation with ultrasound waves.[1] Although some reseach into this topic was performed in the past[2-3], recent work has shown that the driving mechanism behind APL is not mechanoluminescence, as was commonly believed, but rather thermoluminescence (TL).[4] The acoustic energy of the ultrasound wave is absorbed by a polymer sensor membrane containing an energy storage phosphor, BaSi2O2N2:Eu2+ in this study. This causes a temperature increase which results in TL emission (see Figure 1). Since this emission occurs very locally, a precise cross sectional image of the US radiation field can be obtained, which is beneficial for applications relying on a precise knowledge of the ultrasound beam. Here we present a recently developed model to explain and predict APL emission resulting from any given ultrasound source. Furthermore, this model can be inverted to quantify the acoustic pressure distribution by analyzing an APL measurement where the light emission is monitored. This validated TL model can aid the development of related TL techniques, such as luminescent thermometry based on persistent phosphors.

Topics

• impedance spectroscopy
• polymer
• thermoluminescence
• mechanoluminescence