J. Karanicolas et al., Depth profiling the thermal reflection coefficient of an opaque solid via an inverse thermal wave scattering theory based on the Method of Images, APP PHYS B, 71(2), 2000, pp. 217-223
A new formulation of the inverse problem of depth profiling the thermal pro
perties of an opaque solid based on one-dimensional photo-generated thermal
waves is presented. The inverse problem as posed is linear in a set of lum
ped thermal reflection coefficients which account for the return of energy
to the surface by all significant heat conduction channels. an analysis bas
ed on the Method of Images relates these coefficients to individual values
of the interface thermal reflection coefficients in the material. No weak b
ackscattering assumption is invoked to linearize the problem. The method yi
elds a unique solution subject to a given condition of regularization. Solu
tions recovered by the method are stable at experimentally feasible error l
evels.