The numerical mirage method for photothermal characterization of materials

Noncontact thermal measurement techniques offer rapid thermal characterization without modification or destruction of the sample being studied. A simple and versatile method has been developed, termed the "numerical mirage method," that utilizes the transient photothermal deflection of a laser beam traversing a modulated temperature gradient. This method expands the range and simplifies the experimental procedure of traditional mirage methods. A numerical solver is used to create accurate deflection profile models and a linear curve fitting routine is developed, from which the thermal diffusivity of a material may be determined. This method allows for rapid modification of sample and heating configurations. Verification of the method is performed on bismuth and fused quartz reference samples, and good agreement with literature is obtained. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.