impulsive stimulated thermal scattering

impulsive stimulated thermal scattering

[im¦pəl·siv ¦stim·yə‚lād·əd ¦thərm·əl ′skad·ər·iŋ] (engineering) An optical, noncontacting method for characterizing the high-frequency acoustic behavior of surfaces, thin membrane, coatings, and multilayer assemblies, in which picosecond pulses of light from an excitation laser stimulate motions which are then detected with a continuous-wave probing laser. Abbreviated ISTS. Also known as transient grating photoacoustics.