Work

Conformal acoustic holographic lenses for wavefront control via geometry-encoded design

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: We present a conformal acoustic holographic lens as a functional material system that integrates geometric architecture, acoustic response, and fabrication for subject-specific wave manipulation. Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) enables noninvasive neuromodulation, but its performance is limited by skull-induced impedance mismatch, phase distortion, and energy loss across multilayer interfaces. Existing approaches mitigate these effects through electronic or computational correction, yet they remain limited by point-focused wave control and do not fully exploit material and interfacial design for subject-specific volumetric tFUS control. Here, we introduce a skull-conforming acoustic holographic lens that embeds wavefront engineering into a conformal interface. Within a subject-specific volumetric holography (SSVH) framework, skull geometry, acoustic properties, and therapeutic constraints guide a hierarchical optimization pipeline to generate phase-encoded structures. The resulting device integrates a conformal holographic lens with a coupling layer to improve tissue-interface compatibility, support skull-conforming contact, and eliminate complex sealing designs required for fluidic coupling. Across 20 cases, simulations demonstrate robust volumetric focusing and consistent target coverage, while ex vivo human skull experiments confirm fabrication accuracy and acoustic field reconstruction. This work establishes a scalable, materials-driven strategy for geometry-aware wave manipulation and patient-adaptive therapeutic ultrasound.

Source: Materials & Design

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2026.116497