Thermal wave photopyroelectric characterization of advanced materials: State of the art

Abstract This article reviews the history, background, theoretical basis, development, attempts to optimize, and experimental performance of the photopyroelectric technique for the optothermal characterization of advanced materials such as semiconductors, superconductors, pure metals and alloys, quantum wells, liquid crystals, paramagnetic and ferromagnetic materials, as well as solar cells. The state of the art in the experimental processes in this field is also reviewed. This new photothermal technique can be used after a careful optimization, as a highly sensitive method for photopyroelectric spectroscopy and general thermal wave measurements. It has been shown to be a highly sensitive spectroscopic method for the nondestructive evaluation of advanced materials. This review presents the main photopyroelectric theoretical models that have been used for the extraction of some important optoelectronic properties such as the optical absorption coefficient and the nonradiative quantum efficiency spectra, as well as some thermal properties such as the thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and specific heat. The applicability of the general basic theoretical model with its many special cases is also described in detail. This review demonstrates how photopyroelectric spectroscopy can be complementary to the conventional spectroscopic methods. The different experimental modes of the technique are also discussed. Moreover, some ideas concerning future perspectives of applying the technique to other scientific fields are outlined. This article does not aspire to an in-depth analysis of the experimental results in the field; rather, it focuses on the technique itself.