Abstract: An optical stress pulse generation and detection system for non-destructively measuring physical properties of a sample, which uses a pump beam having short duration radiation pulses having an intensity and at least one wavelength selected to non-destructively generate a stress pulse in a sample and directs the non-destructive pump beam to a surface of the sample to generate the stress pulse. The optical stress pulse generation and detection system also uses a probe radiation beam and guides the probe beam to a location at the sample to intercept the stress pulse. The change in optical constants induced by the stress pulse is detected by observing the probe beam after it intercepts the stress pulse.