Limitations for heterodyne detection of Brillouin scattered light

One means by which elastic properties of a material may be determined is measuring sound wave velocities in the material, from which elastic moduli of interest can be computed. Velocity can be measured by conventional piezoelectric transduction techniques, by applying laser ultrasonics, or by using Brillouin-scattering methods. Brillouin-scattering techniques for determining the sound wave velocity are particularly attractive since they are completely noninvasive. Only a probe beam of light is required since the thermal energy in the material provides the elastic motion. Heterodyne methods for detection of Brillouin-scattered light are considered one possible means to increase the speed of the scattered light frequency detection. Results of experiments with simulated Brillouin scattering suggest that heterodyne detection of the Brillouin-scattered light is feasible. Experiments to detect Brillouin-scattered light, with water as the scattering medium, were designed and interpreted using the results of the simulated scattering experiments. Overall, results showed that it is difficult to narrow the linewidth for Brillouin scattering to an acceptable level. The results given indicate that heterodyne detection of the Brillouin components requires detection bandwidths that are quite small, perhaps 10 Hz or lower. These small bandwidths can be routinely achieved using lock-in amplifier techniques.