Measurement of the thermal properties of liquids using a thermal wave interferometer

Abstract

In this paper we discuss the use of an alternative photothermal technique for measurements of thermal properties of liquids. The proposed technique is based upon the concept of thermal wave interferometry. The liquid sample is confined between two thin pyroelectric detectors. One of these detectors acts as a modulated absorber of light while the other is used for sensing the temperature fluctuations transmitted through the liquid layer. The good agreement between the values of the thermal properties we got with the present technique and those reported in the literature demonstrates the capability of the technique for full characterization of the thermal properties of liquids.