We outline an all-optical and noncontact approach for controlled laser heating and measurement of the resultant temperature distribution at the surface of a material, respectively. We show how the boundary conditions of the heating problem may be controlled optically through shaping of the pump light and use the examples of both Gaussian and flat-top beams. These two beams, together with appropriate nonoptical boundary control, allow for the laser-induced thermal study of materials with and without thermal stress. We illustrate the technique on an industrial diamond sample where a gradient and uniform temperature profile on the surface of the diamond was successfully created and measured. We use the technique to study the thermally induced degradation of industrial diamond in a controlled manner.
Reference:
Masina, B.N, Mwakikunga, B and Forbes, A. 2013. Thermally induced damage studies with shaped light. Optical Engineering, vol. 52(4), pp 1-9
Masina, B. N., Mwakikunga, B. W., & Forbes, A. (2013). Thermally induced damage studies with shaped light. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/6946
Masina, Bathusile N, Bonex W Mwakikunga, and A Forbes "Thermally induced damage studies with shaped light." (2013) http://hdl.handle.net/10204/6946
Masina BN, Mwakikunga BW, Forbes A. Thermally induced damage studies with shaped light. 2013; http://hdl.handle.net/10204/6946.
Copyright: 2013 SPIE Digital library. This is an Open Access journal. This journal authorizes the publication of the information herewith contained. Published in Optical Engineering, vol. 52(4), pp 1-9