Prediction of the generation of acoustic waves due to the penetration of pulsed microwaves in multilayer media

The acoustic wave generation in a body irradiated by a pulsed microwave is predicted theoretically. The irradiated body is a viscoelastic multilayer rod inserted into a waveguide or an uniformly irradiated viscoelastic plate. The model is based on Maxwell's equations, the heat equation, and thermoviscoelasticity theory. It is validated experimentally by means of four tests performed on three different specimens. The two first specimens are homogeneous rods used to evaluate and verify the mechanical and electromagnetic characteristics of two different materials. The third specimen is a composite rod made up of these materials. Two tests are performed with this specimen. The comparison between the experimental results and the theoretical computations leads to the validation of the theoretical model.