A simple theoretical extension to the analysis of photothermal deflection signal for low thermal diffusivity evaluation

A modified amplitude method to analyze the photothermal probe beam deflection signal for the determination of low thermal diffusivity values of materials is proposed. This simple theoretical model, which is an extension of the amplitude method proposed by Quelin et al., takes into account the dependence of the photothermal signal on the height of the probe beam above the sample surface which affects mirage measurements when the thermal diffusivity of the coupling medium is greater than that of the sample. The present work is similar to the modification to the phase method proposed by Bertolotti et al. for determination of low thermal diffusivity. The method can be applied irrespective of whether the sample is optically transparent or optically opaque and is independent of thickness.