PHOTOACOUSTIC DEPTH PROFILING OF THE THERMAL-CONDUCTIVITY OF AN INHOMOGENEOUSLY ALIGNED LIQUID-CRYSTAL AT A FREE-SURFACE

Some approaches, both old and new, to the inverse calculation of conti nuous inhomogeneous thermal conductivity profiles from photoacoustic d ata are compared. The liquid crystal 8CB in its nematic phase and subj ect to a magnetic field is chosen as a starting point, since it allows easy control of the conductivity profile. In particular, a new modifi ed multilayer approach seems capable of reliable profile reconstructio n. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.