Self-normalized photothermal techniques for thermal diffusivity measurements

Two self-normalized photothermal techniques, to carry out thermal diffusivi ty measurements of condensed phase materials, are presented. These simple m ethodologies involve linear fitting procedures of the signal amplitude and phase. 'These procedures lead to the elimination of the usual requirement f or instrumental transfer-function normalization. The thermal diffusivities for two dental resins and two pure liquids are measured with these simple m ethodologies and very good agreement is found with values reported in the l iterature, where more involved analysis is usually required. (C) 2000 Ameri can Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)08124-X].