Advancement in PMN-PT transparent piezoelectric ceramic for photoacoustic/ultrasound dual-mode imaging

Dual-mode imaging combining photoacoustic and ultrasound modalities holds great promise for comprehensive tissue characterization. In traditional dual-mode imaging systems, however, the opaque ultrasound transducers are integrated in complex optical and ultrasound paths, leading to compromises in imaging efficiency and sensitivity. To address these challenges, we design and produce highly transparent Pb(Mg,Nb)O3PbTiO3 ceramics with exceptional transparency of 68%, alongside a remarkable ultrahigh piezoelectric d33 of 1500 pC/N. Leveraging this material, we fabricate a high-sensitivity transparent piezoelectric ultrasound transducer (TPUT) with a center frequency of 16 MHz and a bandwidth of 30%, which seamlessly integrating ultrasound and photoacoustic capabilities into one system to achieve simultaneous photoacoustic/ultrasound dual-mode imaging, showcasing a remarkable sensitivity for deep-tissue detection (e.g., 7.5 mm thick chicken breast meat). Additionally, in vivo photoacoustic imaging of subcutaneous microvasculature in a mouse ear was successfully achieved via 28 MHz TPUT. Our innovation not only advances imaging performance but also offers a cost-effective solution, paving the way for transformative biomedical imaging applications.