Laser excitation of ultrashort acoustic pulses: New possibilities in solid-state spectroscopy, diagnostics of fast processes, and nonlinear acoustics

The experimental results in the field of laser generation of acoustic pulses of duration less than 1 ns are reviewed. The various physical mechanisms of optoacoustic conversion are analyzed theoretically. Possibilities are shown for shortening the duration of optoacoustic pulses by increasing the intensity of the laser exposure. The prospects of initiating ultrashort, strong shock pulses with high-power femtosecond light pulses, are discussed.