Photoacoustic speaker and method

A photoacoustic speaker comprising:

• a laser beam source means, a modulating means capable of modulating the intensity of said laser beam in response to audio signal inputs producing a corresponding modulated laser beam, and an elongated sealed gas containment chamber serving as a gas absorption chamber in the path of said laser beam, said gas absorption chamber comprising a laser transparent window at one end which permits said laser beam to enter said gas absorption chamber, a rigid end at the opposite end fixed parallel to said window, and thin walls of a flexible material gastightly joined to said window and said rigid end, said gas absorption chamber confining gas capable of absorption of said modulated laser beam thereby producing pressure waves which impinge on said walls of said chamber to produce sound and transmit said sound exterior to said chamber.

A method for producing photoacoustic sound comprising:

• producing a laser beam, modulating the intensity of said laser beam in proportion to audio signal inputs;
• passing the modulated laser beam through a laser transparent window in one end of an elongated sealed gas absorption chamber having thin flexible side walls and through the length of said elongated chamber to an opposite rigid end, said laser beam not striking said flexible side walls;
• absorbing radiation of said modulated laser beam by gas confined in said elongated chamber thereby producing photothermic pressure waves which produce sound and transmit said sound exterior of said chamber upon impingement on said side walls of said absorption chamber.

A method for producing photoacoustic sound comprising:

• producing a laser beam, and modulating the intensity of said laser beam in proportion to audio signal inputs;
• passing the modulated laser beam through a laser transparent window into an elongated sealed gas containment chamber serving as a gas absorption chamber having thin, flexible side walls and confining gas capable of absorption of said modulated laser beam, and passing a portion of said modulated laser beam to the opposite end of said absorption chamber, said modulated laser beam striking a laser reflective material reflecting said laser in reverse direction through said elongated chamber for further absorption, and thereby producing photothermic pressure waves which produce sound and transmit said sound exterior to said chamber upon impingement on said walls of said absorption chamber.

A method for producing photoacoustic sound comprising:

• producing a laser beam, and modulating the intensity of said laser beam in proportion to audio signal inputs;
• passing the modulated laser beam through a laser transparent window into an elongated sealed gas containment chamber serving as a gas absorption chamber having thin, flexible side walls and confining gas capable of absorption of said modulated laser beam, thereby producing photothermic pressure waves which produce sound and transmit said sound exterior to said chamber upon impingement on said walls of said absorption chamber to project a column of sound providing an acoustic dimension effect.