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CT: The photothermal effect is often used (particularly in the semiconductor industry) to measure thermal properties of materials [67, 9]. A common configuration is the modulated photothermal deflection experiment [83, 10], in which a “pump” laser beam, chopped into a square wave, strikes a sample at normal incidence, while a “probe” beam strikes the sample at a glancing angle. The
pump beam is partially absorbed by the sample, raising a blister, which is observed by an angular deflection of the probe beam.
S: http://thesis.library.caltech.edu/1696/3/3photothermal.pdf (last access: 13 February 2015)
N: 1. photothermal (adj): From photo- (word-forming element meaning “light” or “photographic” or “photoelectric,” from Greek photo-, comb. form of phos (genitive photos) “light,” from PIE root bha- “to shine”) and thermal (1756, “having to do with hot springs,” from French thermal (Buffon), from Greek therme “heat, feverish heat,” from PIE *gwher- “to heat, warm”; sense of “having to do with heat” is first recorded 1837).
effect (n): mid-14c., “execution or completion (of an act),” from Old French efet (13c., Modern French effet) “result, execution, completion, ending,” from Latin effectus “accomplishment, performance,” from past participle stem of efficere “work out, accomplish,” from ex- “out” + facere “to do”. From French, borrowed into Dutch, German, Scandinavian.
2. When a sample of semiconducting material is illuminated, pairs of excess carriers are generated which diffuse through the material according to the density gradients established. Each pair carries an energy approximately equal to the band gap of the material. This energy is deposited where the excess electron recombines with a hole and causes local heating of the lattice. A temperature distribution will therefore be established in the sample which depends on the characteristics of optical absorption and bulk and surface recombination in and on the sample. This establishment of a temperature distribution in a solid by optically excited diffusing and recombining carriers is called the photothermal effect.
S: 1. OED – http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=photo&searchmode=none; http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=thermal&searchmode=none; http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=effect&searchmode=none (last access: 13 February 2015). 2. http://journals.aps.org/pr/abstract/10.1103/PhysRev.122.419 (last access: 13 February 2015).
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