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Published on: April 25, 2019
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Picosecond ultrasonics with miniaturized semiconductor lasers.
Michal Kobecki1, Giuseppe Tandoi2, Eugenio Di Gaetano2
1Experimentelle Physik 2, Technische Universität Dortmund, D-44221 Dortmund, Germany.
Ultrasonics
|April 24, 2020
Summary
Picosecond ultrasonics enables nanoobject imaging using ultrafast lasers. Miniaturized semiconductor lasers provide high-performance ultrasonic echo signals comparable to bulky systems, paving the way for portable devices.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- There is a growing need for advanced ultrasonic techniques to image and characterize nanoobjects.
- Picosecond ultrasonics utilizes ultrafast lasers to generate and detect acoustic waves at terahertz frequencies and nanometer wavelengths.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a picosecond ultrasonics setup utilizing miniaturized mode-locked semiconductor lasers.
- To demonstrate the capability of this setup for high-resolution ultrasonic measurements.
Main Methods:
- Development of a picosecond ultrasonics system employing miniaturized mode-locked semiconductor lasers.
- Measurement of ultrasonic echo signals with picosecond resolution in a 112 nm aluminum film on a semiconductor substrate.
Main Results:
- The developed setup achieved the required power, pulse duration, and repetition rate for picosecond ultrasonics.
- The ultrasonic echo signal quality was comparable to that obtained using a standard, bulky mode-locked Ti-sapphire laser.
- Successful measurement of ultrasonic echoes in a thin aluminum film.
Conclusions:
- Miniaturized semiconductor lasers are suitable for high-performance picosecond ultrasonics.
- This work demonstrates the feasibility of integrated, portable picosecond ultrasonic systems.
- The findings facilitate the advancement of nanoscale imaging and characterization technologies.
