Abstract: The effect of a volumetric heat source induced by pulse laser heating in the temperature fields of a fine round ceramic bar was investigated experimentally and theoretically. Experimental results show that non-Fourier heat conduction phenomena such as temperature waves exist on the end surface of the fine round ceramic bar. Hyperbolic heat conduction equation was used to model the non-Fourier heat conduction process and the theory about thermal energy wave propagation was introduced to explain it. The experimental evidence for thermal energy wave propagation was obtained. The paper makes it clear that thermal relaxation time f is mainly responsible for rapid transient heat transfer processes in heterogeneous materials.

Key words: pulse laser, thermal relaxation time, non-Fourier heat conduction, ceramic bar