Combined Photoacoustic–Acoustic Technique for Crack Imaging

Nonlinear imaging of a crack by combination of a common photoacoustic imaging technique with additional acoustic loading has been performed. Acoustic signals at two different fundamental frequencies were launched in the sample, one photoacoustically through heating of the sample surface by the intensity-modulated scanning laser beam and another by a piezoelectrical transducer. The acoustic signal at mixed frequencies, generated due to system nonlinearity, has been detected by an accelerometer. Different physical mechanisms of the nonlinearity contributing to the contrast in linear and nonlinear photoacoustic imaging of the crack are discussed.