Among optical methods the photothermal radiometry offers a new metrological technique for the successful investigation of subsurface defects, buried inhomogeneities and structures beneath an optical opaque surface. In these investigations, the thermal waves reflect several sets of information about the inner and outer structures, about optical, thermal and mechanical properties. The purpose of this contribution is the presentation of theoretical calculations for simulation of measuring signals

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... nd reconstruction of buried inhomogeneities from measured amplitude and phase signals. Hence, experimental results can yield a reliable defect identification and identification of surface and subsurface thermal features.