Abstract
A theory is proposed from which a cross-sectional mapping of a beam of progressive ultrasonic waves can be obtained by conventional light-diffraction techniques, i.e., by passing a collimated beam of light through the sound field. To obtain sufficient information, the sound field must be rotated around its major axis for a series of optical measurements. These measurements, along a line perpendicular to the sound-beam axis, are to yield the strength and phase of the effective phase grating. As an extensive amount of data is needed to compute one map by two-dimensional Fourier transformation, a data-acquisition system and digital computer are required. However, in the constraint of linear acoustics, one set of measurements will permit the calculation of the sound field in all space.
© 1975 Optical Society of America
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