Laser-driven surface thermocapillary waves in isotropic and anisotropic liquids

Theoretical and experimental results on thermocapillary hydrodynamic surface waves induced in liquids by travelling spatially periodical distribution of light intensity are reported. The phase of local elevation in capillary waves is close to the phase of interference pattern when frequency is far from zero and from eigen frequency of free capillary waves. This phase difference is exactly π/2 for zero frequency.