Influence of temperature distribution of heat affected zone on transient refractive index modifications of transparent materials

Thermoelastic wave equations are numerically solved by using finite element method to study effect of spatial distribution of microscale heat source, created inside transparent material, on physical parameters of heat affected zone. It is observed that temperature distribution has significant effect on spatial and temporal behavior of the displacement, strain, stress and, consequently, on refractive index changes of the material. Therefore, temperature distribution, which can be caused by laser pulse, can be employed as an important parameter to control refractive index profile inside transparent materials.