Micro-cavitation on demand via the nanoparticle mediated interaction of light and sound

Abstract

The safe utilization of controlled cavitation for HIFU therapy and ultrasound assisted drug delivery requires nucleation sites for bubble formation. We consider the potential for nucleating transient vapor cavities using laser-illuminated gold nanoparticles combined with high-intensity focused ultrasound. An transparent polyacrylamide gel phantom was seeded with 82-nm diameter gold particles and exposed to 20 ns pulses from a 532 nm Nd:Yag laser. Laser firing was synchronized with the arrival of a burst of 1.1 MHz focused ultrasound. Acoustic emissions from ensuing inertial cavitation were detected passively using a 15 MHz focused transducer. At a laser energy of 0.10 mJ/pulse, the resulting inertial cavitation nucleation threshold pressure (peak-negative focal pressure) was as low as 0.92 MPa. In comparison, a peak-negative focal pressure of 4.50 MPa was required to nucleate detectable cavitation without laser illumination (nano-particles were present in both cases). Experimental results agree well with a simple model for transient heating and cavity formation. Since the particles are durable, one can re-activate them as needed, essentially yielding cavitation nuclei “on demand.” [Work supported by the Dept. of the Army (Award No. DAMD17-02-2-0014) and the Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems (NSF ERC Award No. EEC-9986821).]