Photoacoustic and Photothermal Effects in Particulate Suspensions

A summary of the research areas investigated by the author during the grant period is given. Experiments and theory have been carried out on the photoacoustic effect arising from a number of physical and chemical processes. A number of studies of the photoacoustic effect as it occurs in transient grating experiments have been completed. The research done with the Ludwig-Soret effect on the generation of shock waves is reported. Other research, such as that carried out on interferometric and beam deflection microphones, the use of microphones in vacuum as momentum flux detectors, and chemical generation of sonoluminescence is listed. A list of published research including selected publications, a complete list of journal articles, books, review articles, and reviews are given

Photoacoustic and Photothermal Effects in Particulate Suspensions

A summary of the research areas investigated by the author during the grant period is given. Experiments and theory have been carried out on the photoacoustic effect arising from a number of physical and chemical processes. A number of studies of the photoacoustic effect as it occurs in transient grating experiments have been completed. The research done with the Ludwig-Soret effect on the generation of shock waves is reported. Other research, such as that carried out on interferometric and beam deflection microphones, the use of microphones in vacuum as momentum flux detectors, and chemical generation of sonoluminescence is listed. A list of published research including selected publications, a complete list of journal articles, books, review articles, and reviews are given

Photoacoustic transients generated by laser irradiation of thin films

Irradiation of an optically thin layer immersed in a transparent fluid with pulsed laser radiation can generate photoacoustic waves through two mechanisms. The first of these is the conventional optical heating of the layer followed by thermal expansion, in which the mechanical motion of the expansion launches a pair of oppositely directed sound waves. A second, recently reported mechanism, is operative when heat is conducted to the transparent medium raising its temperature, while at the same time reducing the temperature in the absorbing body. The latter mechanism has been shown to result in compressive transients at the leading edges of the photoacoustic waveforms. Here the photoacoustic effect produced by irradiating thin metal films which undergo negligible thermal expansion under optical irradiation, but which generate sound solely by the heat transfer mechanism is investigated. Solution to the wave equation for the photoacoustic effect from the heat transfer mechanism is given and compared with the results of experiments using nanosecond laser pulses to irradiate thin metal films

Quantities, Terminology, and Symbols in Photothermal and Related Spectroscopies

This paper presents quantities, terminology, and symbols of terms related to photothermal phenomena and used in photothermal and related spectroscopies. The terms used in the literature to describe photothermal phenomena and methods are reviewed, and a glossary of terms is given. The origins of photothermal phenomena, as well as the relations among various photothermal effects, are summarized. The listed terms cover the terminology in transient grating, transient lens, photoacoustic spectroscopy, photothermal radiometry, calorimetry, interferometry, deflection, reflection, and other related spectroscopies, which use or are related to photothermal effects