2022/09/28 by J.R. Deschamps, Yun Kai, Deschamps, Jude +15
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications #Laser Material Processing Techniques #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Mechanical and Optical Resonators #Optics (physics.optics)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2209.13897
openalex publication_date 2022/09/28 · openalex created_date 2022/10/01 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The laser ultrasonics technique perfectly fits the needs for non-contact, non-invasive, non-destructive mechanical probing of samples of mm to nm sizes. This technique is however limited to the excitation of low-amplitude strains, below the threshold for optical damage of the sample. In the context of strain engineering of materials, alternative optical techniques enabling the excitation of high amplitude strains in a non-destructive optical regime are seeking. We introduce here a non-destructive method for laser-shock wave generation based on additive superposition of multiple laser-excited strain waves. This technique enables strain generation up to mechanical failure of a sample at pump laser fluences below optical ablation or melting thresholds. We demonstrate the ability to generate nonlinear surface acoustic waves (SAWs) in Nb:SrTiO3 substrates, at typically 1 kHz repetition rate, with associated strains in the percent range and pressures close to 100 kbars. This study paves the way for the investigation of a host of high-strength SAW-induced phenomena, including phase transitions in conventional and quantum materials, plasticity and a myriad of material failure modes, chemistry and other effects in bulk samples, thin layers, or two-dimensional materials.