Sub-wavelength lateral detection of tissue-approximating masses using an ultrasonic metamaterial lens

Practically applied techniques for ultrasonic biomedical imaging employ delay-and-sum (DAS) beamforming which can resolve two objects down to 2.1 lambda within the acoustic Fresnel zone. Here, we demonstrate a phononic metamaterial lens (ML) for detection of laterally subwavelength object features in tissue-like phantoms beyond the phononic crystal evanescent zone and Fresnel zone of the emitter. The ML produces metamaterial collimation that spreads 8x less than the emitting transducer. Utilizing collimation, 3.6x greater lateral resolution beyond the Fresnel zone limit was achieved. Both hard objects and tissue approximating masses were examined in gelatin tissue phantoms near the Fresnel zone limit. Lateral dimensions and separation were resolved down to 0.50 lambda for hard objects, with tissue approximating masses slightly higher at 0.73 lambda. The work represents the application of a metamaterial for spatial characterization, and subwavelength resolution in a biosystem beyond the Fresnel zone limit. Traditional methods for ultrasound detection in biomedical application suffer from limited lateral resolution. Here, the authors show that a phononic metamaterial lens can be used for spatial characterisation of subwavelength objects, even beyond the Fresnel zone of the emitting transducer.