Theoretical and experimental studies of distance dependent response of micro-ring resonator-based ultrasonic detectors for photoacoustic microscopy

We present in this paper a systematic study of the distance dependent detection characteristics of the newly developed micro-ring resonator (MRR)-based ultrasonic detector for photoacoustic microscopy (PAM). A simple analytic model was first developed to study the steady-state response to the continuous ultrasonic waves. While placing the MRR detector at the acoustic far-field provides longer working distance and broader field of view, the detection at acoustic near-field offers the improved sensitivity and broader bandwidth but at the cost of reduction in the field of view. Furthermore, a numerical model was developed to analyze the transient response to the photoacoustic-induced impulsive waves. Notably, far-field detection exhibits a flat wavefront of its response pattern in the time domain while large distortions are clearly visible in the case of near-field detection. Finally, both analytic and numerical models are validated by experimental studies. This work establishes a theoretical framework for quantitatively analyzing the trade-offs between near-field and far-field detection using MRR detector, creating a guideline for optimizing the PAM for various applications in biomedical imaging and diagnostics.