Detection of laser-generated acoustic pulses in solution by an optical transducer operating at guide-wave mode

The optically excited guide-waves have been utilized to detect laser-genera ted acoustic pulse in solution. Numerical simulations based on rigorous ele ctromagnetic wave theory suggest that the maximum sensitivity could be achi eved by operating at the first mode of the guide waves. In addition. an opt ical transducer with a glass/gold/ZnO/water structure has been successfully fabricated and applied to detect laser generated acoustic pulse in water. Compared to the optical transducer operating at surface plasma resonance mo de. the transducer operating at guide wave mode has advantages such as bett er stability and higher sensitivity.