Detection Of Laser Pulses By Generation Of Surface Acoustic Waves

Arne Rosengreen; David W. Jackson

doi:10.1117/12.955051

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30 December 1976 Detection Of Laser Pulses By Generation Of Surface Acoustic Waves

Arne Rosengreen, David W. Jackson

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Proceedings Volume 0090, Acousto-Optics: Device Development/Instrumentation/Applications; (1976) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.955051
Event: 20th Annual Technical Symposium, 1976, San Diego, United States

Abstract

A detector consisting of a piezoelectric substrate with periodically spaced, thin-film absorber strips on its surface for generation of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) is described. Various modes of operation of the absorber of the incident radiation are considered. Use of the detector for detection of wavelength and angle of arrival of the incident radiation is discussed. Results are given of tests of a detector (25 MHz) with a CO2 , a Nd:YAG, and a ruby laser. A qualitative analysis of the detector is made, explaining the observed variation of the detector response to laser pulses of identical energy. The rise time, tr , is found to be an important parameter. For good performance the periodicity of the absorber must be selected so the frequency of the SAW is considerably less than 1/tr . On the basis of an experimental comparison with pyroelectric detectors, and theoretical predictions of improved performance by changes in the detector design, it is predicted that the detector will provide better detection of nanosecond CO2 laser pulses than that provided by other room-temperature thermal detectors.

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Arne Rosengreen and David W. Jackson "Detection Of Laser Pulses By Generation Of Surface Acoustic Waves", Proc. SPIE 0090, Acousto-Optics: Device Development/Instrumentation/Applications, (30 December 1976); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.955051

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