Time-resolved mirage method: A three-dimensional theory and experiments

A general time-resolved three-dimensional theory of the photothermal beam deflection for the measurement of thermal properties of opaque materials is presented. We derive the analytical solutions for the laser induced temperature profiles in the sample and in the fluid above the sample assuming flux discontinuity at the interface sample/fluid. We compare the analytical solutions with all numerical modeling using finite element analysis. The photothermal deflection signal is calculated and an expression is provided for the transverse photothermal signal at a position-sensing detector. We use the model and the experimental method to investigate opaque plastic and metals, and the results for the thermal properties of the samples are in an excellent agreement in the literature values. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4707940]