Full-field detection of surface defects using real-time holography and optical correlation techniques

Innovative optical NDE techniques are being developed for the full-field detection and evaluation of surface defects and defect precursors in titanium and aluminum based alloys. The techniques are based on frequency-translated holography and optical correlation principles, and use bacteriorhodopsin (bR) holographic films and temporal correlation techniques for realtime storage and retrieval of Surface Acoustic Waves (SAW) features and embedded surface defect information. The SAW waves induced on the material surface being studied are made to interfere with optical light waves, and fringes are produced that are a function of optical Doppler shifts induced by phonon-photon interactions on the surface of the material. Visualization of these SAW patterns allow for NDE characterization of features on and near the surface of the materials, including defect and defect precursor sites. Preliminary results are provided for real-time bR holographic recordings of acoustic patterns induced on Al2024-T3 material surfaces.