Abstract: The problem of the interaction of longitudinal and transverse vibrations of a rod under thermal actions using laser radiation is considered. Simultaneously taking into account the nonlinear terms in the equations for bending and the longitudinal deformations makes it possible to explain the interaction of bending and longitudinal vibrations. The range of values of rod parameters are indicated in which it is possible to excite lower frequency bending vibrations under pulsed thermal action due to high-frequency longitudinal vibrations and, on the contrary, to excite higher frequency longitudinal vibrations due to low-frequency bending vibrations.