/
Article

Photoacoustic spectroscopy of solids

SEP 01, 1975
The generation of sound from a periodically illuminated solid, an effect first discovered in 1881, is now being used to study the properties of materials not accessible to optical spectroscopy.
Allan Rosencwaig

One of the most effective means for studying the properties of matter nondestructively is to observe how photons interact with it; that is, by optical spectroscopy. The two most common techniques in the optical region are absorption and reflection spectroscopy. But many organic and inorganic materials, such as powders, amorphous compounds, smears, gels and oils, can not be readily studied by either of these two techniques. Methods involving diffuse or attenuated total reflectance permit the study of some of these materials, but they possess severe drawbacks.

This article is only available in PDF format

References

  1. 1. T. H. MaughII, Science 188, 38 (1975).https://doi.org/SCIEAS

  2. 2. A. Rosencwaig, Opt. Commun. 7, 305 (1973).https://doi.org/OPCOB8

  3. 3. A. Rosencwaig, Science 181, 657 (1975).https://doi.org/SCIEAS

  4. 4. A. Rosencwaig, S. S. Hall in Proceedings of the 4th Food–Drugs from the Sea Conference, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, November 1974, Marine Technology Society, Washington (in press).

  5. 5. A. Rosencwaig, S. S. Hall, Anal. Chem. 47, 548 (1975).https://doi.org/ANCHAM

  6. 6. A. Rosencwaig, Anal. Chem. 47, 592A (1975).https://doi.org/ANCHAM

  7. 7. A. G. Bell, Phil. Mag. 11, 510 (1881); https://doi.org/PHMAA4
    J. Tyndall, Proc. Roy. Soc. 31, 307 (1881);
    W. C. Röntgen, Phil. Mag. 11, 308 (1881).https://doi.org/PHMAA4

  8. 8. L. B. Kreuzer, C. K. N. Patel, Science 173, 45 (1971).https://doi.org/SCIEAS

  9. 9. K. Kaya, W. R. Harshbarger, M. B. Robin, J. Chem. Phys. 60, 4231 (1974).https://doi.org/JCPSA6

  10. 10. A. Rosencwaig, A. Gersho, to be published.

  11. 11. J. M. J. G. Lipsch, G. C. A. Schuit, J. Catalysis 15, 163 (1969).https://doi.org/JCTLA5

  12. 12. J. I. Pankove, Optical Processes in Semiconductors, Prentice‐Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. (1971), page 412.

  13. 13. F. P. Jenkins, D. Welti, D. Baines, Nature 201, 827 (1964).https://doi.org/NATUAS

More about the authors

Allan Rosencwaig, Technical Staff of Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, N.J..

Related content
/
Article
Since 2008, more than 100 colleges and universities in the US have stopped offering an undergraduate physics major. What happened?
/
Article
The thermodynamic and quantum mechanical properties of topological insulators provide a path toward scalable energy storage in information-based batteries.
/
Article
At the end of the turbulent 1960s, the postwar funding boom in US physics came to a crashing halt. The lessons learned then may be helpful to today’s physicists.
/
Article
Interviews with 22 successful early-career physical scientists and engineers reveal that networking has been one of the most critical ways to nurture their careers.
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1975_09.jpeg

Volume 28, Number 9

Get PT newsletters in your inbox

pt_newsletter_card_blue.png
PT The Week in Physics

A collection of PT's content from the previous week delivered every Monday.

pt_newsletter_card_darkblue.png
PT New Issue Alert

Be notified about the new issue with links to highlights and the full TOC.

pt_newsletter_card_pink.png
PT Webinars & White Papers

The latest webinars, white papers and other informational resources.

By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.