Photomechanical transducer
OwnerRobert A. Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, with respect to an invention of Frosch, Robert F. Fedors +1inventors
InventorsRobert A. Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, with respect to an invention of Frosch, Robert F. Fedors, Mohammad N. Sarbolouki
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Abstract
Light absorbing ultra-thin films mounted under a fixed strain exhibit the behavior of an optomechanicalor photomechanical transducer. The transducer responds to light in a quick and reversible manner converting a time-variable light source into a time-variable mechanical stress easily monitored by a device such as a strain gage.
Claims13
A photomechanical transducer comprising in combination:
- an ultrathin strip of a metal or a polymer film having a high glass transition temperature and first and second ends and said strip having a thickness below 75 .mu.m, a low creep rate, a high elastic modulus, high thermal expansion coefficient, low heat capacity and a very highly efficient light absorptive surface;
- means mounting said surface of the strip in the path of a light illumination source including a first fixed clamping means and a second moveable clamping means for clamping said first and second ends;
- means for applying a small constant strain to the strip attached to the second moveable clamping means;
- and
- strain measuring means connected to the moveable clamping means for measuring dimensional changes in said strip in response to light absorption of said surface from the illumination source.
A transducer according to claim 3 in which the thickness is from 10 A to 75 .mu.m.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.