This thesis summarizes my work at the University of Victoria to design and evaluate a proof-of-concept instrument called the Confocal Acoustic Holography Microscope (CAHM). The instrument will be able to measure small changes in temperature and composition in a fluid specimen, which can be indirectly measured via small fluctuations in the speed of sound. The CAHM combines concepts of confocal microscopy, interferometry, and ultrasonic imaging. This recent work in confocal acoustic holography has progressed from our previous research in confocal laser holography.

The prototype CAHM design uses a frequency of 2.25 MHz, and can measure sound speed changes of 16 m/s, temperature changes of 5°C, with a spatial resolution of 660 μm. With future improvements to the CAHM, utilizing the latest technologies such as 2D array detectors, MEMS, and acoustic lenses, we expect resolutions of 1 m/s, 0.5°C, and 150 μm.

The design of the CAHM involved the production of a 3D CAD layout of the optomechanical components and ray tracing simulations using Zemax optical design software. Simulated acoustic holograms and fringe shifts were produced and they were found to match up very well with theoretical calculations.

A simplified acoustic holography instrument was built and tested. Speed of sound measurements were made for several test specimens, while keeping temperature constant. Specimens of ethanol, isopropanol, acetic acid, glycerine, and mineral oil were measured. Holograms were collected for acetic acid and mineral oil and were compared to the reference case (distilled water). The fringe spacing and phase shifts measured experimentally matched up well with the Zemax simulations and the theoretical calculations. Hence, the popular Zemax optical software can be effectively used to design acoustic instruments. To our knowledge, this is the first use of Zemax for acoustic designs.

Based on the successful results of the simulations and experiments, the CAHM is expected to have many useful applications, especially in medical diagnostics where it could be used to measure density and temperature within the human body. Phase contrast images could also be used to help identify suspicious lesions, such as those found in prostate or breast tissue. Other applications include non-destructive testing of electronic and mechanical parts, measurements of fluid samples, material science experiments, and microgravity experiments, where non-invasive examination is required.