Laser ultrasonics using a photorefractive liquid crystal was investigated in both coaxial and counter-optical setups. The proposed laser-ultrasonic method involves irradiating an object with a laser pulse to produce an ultrasonic vibration and then using another laser beam to detect the vibration. The phase of the laser beam reflected from the object is shifted by the ultrasonic vibration. By using liquid crystals with photorefractive properties, this phase shift can be detected. Compared to traditional laser ultrasonic methods, this system offers a simpler optical setup and provides more accurate measurements that are unaffected by environmental vibrations.
Coaxial- and counter-optical setups for laser ultrasonics using a photorefractive liquid crystal were fabricated. In laser ultrasonics, an object is irradiated with a laser pulse to create an ultrasonic vibration, and then another laser beam is used to detect the vibration. The phase of the laser beam reflected from the object is shifted by the ultrasonic vibration. By using liquid crystals with photorefractive properties, the resulting phase shift of the laser beam reflected from the material can be detected. Compared to traditional laser ultrasonic methods, this system offers a simpler optical setup and allows for more accurate measurements that are not affected by environmental vibrations.
The photorefractive effect of smectic liquid crystal mixtures was investigated and the application to laser ultrasonic measurements was demonstrated. Smectic liquid crystal mixtures, composed of smectic-C liquid crystals, photoconductive chiral compounds, and a sensitizer, exhibit a fast photorefractive effect. The principle of ultrasonic measurement is that a nanosecond laser pulse is shot on an object to cause an ultrasonic vibration, a continuous laser beam is irradiated on the object, and the ultrasonic variation is detected using photorefractive two-beam coupling. This method can investigate an object's thickness and internal structure without contact.
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