Thermoacoustic microscopy
OwnerAllan Rosencwaiginventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for thermoacoustic or thermal wave microscopy to detect surface and subsurface information from a material on a microscopic scale. A thermal wave is generated in a material by causing periodic, localized heating at a microscopic spot by focusing intensity modulated light, or electromagnetic radiation or particle beam, on the spot. The thermoacoustic signal produced provides information about material composition, structure, and the presence of energy deexcitation processes such as fluorescence, photochemistry and photovoltaic processes. The sample is scanned as a two-dimensional array of microscopic spots. Full depth-profiling of the material is provided by varying the modulation frequency of the energy source.
Claims34
A method of thermoacoustic or thermal wave microscopy to examine surface and subsurface properties of a material on a microscopic scale, comprising:
- causing periodic localized heating at a microscopic spot in the material, to produce thermal waves which interact with microscopic features in the material to provide thermal wave imaging of the features, the thermal waves producing acoustic waves of longer wavelength in the material which propagate through the material;
- detecting the acoustic waves produced in the material, producing detector signals;
- scanning the material as a two-dimensional array of microscopic spots;
- and
- processing the detector signals.
A thermoacoustic or thermal wave microscope for measuring surface and subsurface properties of a material on a microscopic scale, comprising:
- heating means for causing periodic localized heating at a microscopic spot in the material, to produce thermal waves which interact with microscopic features in the material to provide thermal wave imaging of the features, the thermal waves producing acoustic waves of longer wavelength in the material which propagate through the material;
- detection means for detecting the acoustic waves produced in the material, producing detector signals;
- scanning means for scanning the material as a two-dimensional array of microscopic spots;
- and
- processing means for processing the detector signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.