Interferometric imaging of surface acoustic waves on a glass sphere

Abstract

We use an ultrafast optical pump and probe technique to investigate the propagation of subgigahertz surface acoustic waves on a 1 mm diameter glass sphere with an aluminum coating. A fiber-based pump setup generates the surface waves and a common-path interferometer images them in the time domain over the sphere surface as they pass through the pole opposite the source of excitation. Fourier analysis allows the acoustic spectrum of the acoustic source to be extracted and waves traveling in opposite directions to be isolated.