The output signal from a photoacoustic cell based on a symmetrical Helmholtz resonator structure can be substantially increased if a counterphase light stimulation is applied to the cell cavities. However even slight differences in the intensity of the light beams irradiating the cavities may affect the frequency response of the cell and the output signal level. This paper shows the influence of the imbalanced light irradiation on the properties of such a cell. It was found that even at relatively high irradiation mismatch, and even with the photoacoustic signal detection implemented with a single microphone, the influence of the irradiation imbalance on the frequency response of the cell around the resonance frequency is not critical. In the case of differential detection of the photoacoustic signal, the imbalance of the light irradiation does not affect the frequency response of the cell, but only the output signal level.
Keywords: counterphase light stimulation; differential photoacoustic cell; frequency response; photoacoustic Helmholtz resonator.