The first book devoted to laser techniques in the generation and reception of ultrasonic waves in materials, Laser Ultrasonics: Techniques and Applications provides a full description of the state of the art in all fields involving both lasers and ultrasonics. This practical book focuses mainly on the possible applications of the techniques, yet theory is discussed wherever necessary.

INTRODUCTION Ultrasonics Lasers Main characteristics of laser light Lasers for ultrasonics ACOUSTO-OPTIC INTERACTIONS The acousto-optic effect The measurement of ultrasonic fields Bragg diffraction Acousto-optic devices Applications of acousto-optic devices The interaction of light with surface waves LASER INTERFEROMETRY Principles of laser interferometry Theory of interference between light beams Reference beam interferometry with rough surfaces Light detection and signal amplification Effects of laser mode structure Signal processing Stabilized interferometers Optical frequency shifting Quadrature interferometers Long path difference and interferometry Fabry-Perot interferometers APPLICATINOS OF LASER INTERFEROMETRY TO ULTRASONIC DISPLACEMENT MEASUREMENT The measurement of acoustic fields Scanned laser interferometry Full field visualisation of surface displacement The measurement of surface waves Calibration of transducers Acoustic emission The measurement of transverse and vector displacement Sensitivity comparison with other ultrasonic detection techniques ULTRASONIC GENERATION BY LASER Absorbtion of electromagnetic radiation Temperature distributions Thermoelastic stresses Other effects Constrained surfaces Ultrasonic wave propagation in unbounded solids Propagation in bounded solids Radiation patterns for laser-ultrasonic sources Ultrasonic bulk waveforms in plates Ultrasonic surface and guided waves Lasers for ultrasonic generation APPLICATIONS USING LASER GENERATION OF ULTRASOUND Applications to flaw detection Applications to materials property measurement APPLICATIONS TO ACOUSTIC MICROSCOPY Calibration Wave propagation studies Medical applications CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR LASER TECHNIQUES IN ULTRASONICS Summary and conclusions Future research and development Future prospects for applications REFERENCES INDEX