Optical heterodyne investigation of the microwave frequency acoustic properties of liquids

An optical heterodyne interferometer with a state-of-the-art microwave frequency acoustic transducer was used to measure the acoustic properties of liquids and solutions at frequencies up to 1.5 GHz. Heterodyne detection with a strong optical local oscillator was used to detect a weak optical signal beam produced by Bragg deflection from an acoustic wave coupled into a liquid sample. The acoustic transducer had a frequency range of 0.2-1.5 GHz. Several liquid mixtures were measured for the first time, including aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide, and ethyl acetate in carbon disulphide. In some cases, previously unknown dispersions were characterized. A thermodynamic model (valid in the low frequency limit) involving the heat of mixing was used successfully to predict the variation of velocity with composition of liquid mixtures. With this model as a guide, an attempt was made to identify a liquid mixture which would make a superior medium for the acoustic microscope. The search produced results which supported theoretical predictions, but no superior medium was found. Solutions of biomolecules were also investigated due to interest in possible resonant acoustic modes in DNA. No dispersions or resonances were found in solutions of polyglycines, and results for DNA solutions were inconclusive. Applications of this work include general studies in liquid acoustics at very high frequencies, acoustic studies of DNA solutions, and characterization of media for such technological applications as acoustic microscopy or phase conjugation using stimulated Brillouin scattering.