Thermophysical Property Measurements Using Time-Resolved Photothermal Deflection Spectrometry With Step Optical Excitation

This letter reports the theoretical and experimental results of thermophysical property measurements using our recently developed time-resolved photothermal deflection spectrometry (PDS) with step optical excitation. One-dimensional heat conduction boundary conditions of the third kind were derived, and a theoretical model with the boundary conditions was proposed. Both thermal diffusivity and effusivity of two well-known samples were precisely measured simultaneously by fitting experimental data to the theory. Thermal conductivity and unit volume specific heat then can be deduced. Moreover, time-resolved PDS with step optical excitation has the advantages of simpler experimental apparatus and less time consuming measurement, compared with the traditional periodically modulated PDS. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.