Patent ID: 6191855
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: G01B,G01N

Abstract:
A method for determining grain size in a sample, the method comprising the steps of:inducing a propagating disturbance in the sample by an application of at least one pulse of electromagnetic energy to the sample from a pump beam;measuring a first change in optical response of the sample to a pulsed probe beam by measuring a change .DELTA..phi. in optical phase of a portion of the probe beam;measuring a second change in optical response of the sample to the pulsed probe beam by measuring the change .DELTA..phi. in optical phase of the portion of the probe beam, the second change in optical response being time delayed from the first change in optical response of the sample;comparing the first change in optical response of the sample to the second change in optical response of the sample to determine an amount of attenuation of the propagating disturbance in the sample; andassociating the amount of attenuation of the propagating disturbance in the sample with a grain size of the sample.