Subsurface flaw detection in metals by photoacoustic microscopya

The scanning photoacoustic microscope (SPAM) is used in both the conventional and phase‐contrast modes to detect a well‐characterized subsurface flaw in Al. The physical mechanism is that of thermal diffusion, with a subsurface probe depth and flaw resolution length of approximately one thermal‐diffusion length. Comparison of the dependences of the photoacoustic signal upon chopping frequency from the different regions of the sample confirm that the differential signal from the flaw corresponds to a transition from thermally thick to thermally thin boundary conditions. Experimental results are in good agreement with calculations based upon a three‐dimensional thermal‐diffusion model.