Frequency-modulated impulse response photothermal detection through optical reflectance. 2: Experimental

A fast thermoreflectance impulse response photothermal imager was assembled and tested with several solid materials [quartz, stainless steel, and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF)I. The instrument was found to yield quantitative data in agreement with Green's function theoretical models of time domain heat conduction. The FM chirp laser intensity modulation technique used in these experiments gave wide bandwidth photothermal signals and was found to be only limited by the FFT instrumentation frequency response (100 kHz). Thermal diffusivities were calculated, while thermal lensing and thermoelastic effects were further observed. The imager was thus shown to be capable of replacing pulsed laser devices for truly nondestructive applications with materials with low damage threshold to optical pulses.