Impulse response of a fiber optic probe hydrophone determined with shock waves in water

The impulse response of a fiber optic probe hydrophone (FOPH) is determined through it's step response obtained by using a self-focusing electromagnet ic shock wave excitation. The experimental transfer function agrees well wi th the theoretical calculation of the transient response by diffraction of the acoustic wave at the fiber end face. A rise time of about 5 ns has been obtained for the shock front of the self-focusing shock wave generator by the deconvolution of the output signal of the hydrophone with it's impulse response. The FOPH can be used as a standard hydrophone for the absolute wi deband measurement of shock waves of lithotripters and of acoustic waves in liquids in general. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99 )04205-X].