FE simulation of laser generated surface acoustic wave propagation in skin

Advances in laser ultrasonics have opened new possibilities in medical applications, such as the characterization of skin properties. This paper describes the development of a multilayered finite element model (FEM) using ANSYS to simulate the propagation of laser generated thermoelastic surface acoustic waves (SAWs) through skin and to generate signals one would expect to observe without causing thermal damage to skin. A transient thermal analysis is developed to simulate the thermal effect of the laser source penetrating into the skin. The results from the thermal analysis are subsequently applied as a load to the structural analysis where the out-of-plane displacement responses are analysed in models with varying dermis layer thickness.