High frequency elastic wave propagation in micro-elastography

International audienceWe recently proposed an alternative elasticity measurement technique based on elastic wave propagation within a single cell. At this scale, waves at a frequency never reached in the field of elastography (15kHz), are captured using an ultrafast camera and a microscope. This technique is based on the local measurement of the speed of a shear wave, a type of elastic wave. By assuming an infinite and homogeneous elastic medium with respect to the wavelength, the shear modulus μ (elasticity) is estimated. These latter assumptions are discussed through experiments conducted in controlled elastic solids at micro-scale. The conclusion is that wave guide effects as well as viscosity are crucial for quantitative mapping of elasticity