SYSTEMATIC-ERRORS OF LOCALLY RESOLVED PHOTOTHERMAL RADIOMETRIC MEASUREMENTS

Thermal properties and thermal depth profiles can be estimated in prin ciple from laterally resolved radiometric measurements. Care has to be taken to prevent signal distortions due to systematic measurement err ors. The effects of scattering of the heating beam from the rough samp le surface and of infrared diffraction at the collecting optics have b een discussed with respect to the photothermal signal. An experimental evaluation is given. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.