Experimental and theoretical waveforms of Rayleigh waves generated by a thermoelastic laser line source

An analytical model has been developed for the generation of surface acoust ic (Rayleigh) waves in an isotropic solid by a thermoelastic laser line sou rce. For a Gaussian light intensity profile, this model leads to an express ion in closed form for the normal surface displacement of the Rayleigh wave either in the near field or in the far field domain. Quantitative agreemen t has been found for experiments carried out with an interferometric optica l probe on a duraluminum plate. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights r eserved.