RESPONSE OF A FLUID-FILLED PIEZOCERAMIC CYLINDER TO PRESSURE GENERATED BY AN AXIAL LASER-PULSE

A closed-form, analytic solution is given for the pressure generated at the inside wall of a piezoceramic cylinder by a laser-excited fluid contained in it. The pressure then generates a voltage across the electroded inner and outer surfaces of the radially poled cylinder. The experimental response when a 1 J laser beam traverses the cylinder axis is presented for the case when the cylinder is water filled and when filled with methanol. The analysis reveals that the dominant frequency in the response is not that arising from simple considerations of the cylinder geometry, but depends on a complex of factors including the natural frequencies due to cylinder geometry, the natural frequencies arising from cylinder expansion by the fluid and the natural resonant frequencies of the piezoceramic cylinder. The phenomenon of beats is essential in determining the overall response. © 1979, American Association of Physics Teachers. All rights reserved.