Probing the micro world with lasers and ultrasound - some impressions and observations

This paper will examine the principles and prospects for optically generated and detected ultrasound in the context of the characterisation of microscale structures. The objective of the work reported here has been to assess the applicability of this technique to implement non-contact measurements of multiple mechanical parameters, particularly in plate-like samples. Parameters of interest may include: layer thickness; layer modulus, Poisson ratio and density