Passive Infrared Detection of Subsurface Delaminations in Thin Elastic Media

Abstract

The potential of thermal wave microscopy to provide a noncontact approach to the detection of subsurface d elaminations and microstructures in a variety of materials is quite promising. Thermal waves may be generated in a given medium via either ultrasonic wave absorption or direct laser irradiation. This paper describes the application of a scanning infrared technique to detect and characterize subsurface delaminations in a thin multilayer Mylar polyester film sample, utilizing ultrasonic excitation.