Experimental investigation of longitudinal-wave pulses generated by a thermoacoustic emitter

Experimental investigations of pulses of longitudinal acoustic waves genera ted in a metal by short laser pulses are presented. The beam pattern of aco ustic radiation, the amplitudes and shapes of acoustic pulses as functions of the laser radiation intensity and laser spot dimension are discussed. Th e results are analyzed in terms of the model of a thermoacoustic emitter in the form of a heated disk generating a pulse of axial and radial stress th rough the thermoelastic and hydrodynamic mechanisms.