The implementation of terahertz (THz) imaging for non-destructive evaluation shows great promise in 2 and 3 dimensional non-contact inspection of non-conductive materials such as plastics, foam, composites, ceramics, paper, wood and glass. THz imaging employs safe low power non-ionizing electromagnetic pulses, which produce images with lateral resolution <200 microns, and depth resolution <50 microns. We demonstrate the detection of voids and disbonds intentionally incorporated within the sprayed on foam insulation of a space shuttle external tank mock-up segment using time domain THz imaging. Recently, highly integrated turn-key THz imaging systems have been introduced commercially. An industrially hardened THz scanning system which has been deployed to scan the space shuttle tank with small remote THz transceiver on a 30 meter fiber optic umbilical, is described.
Technology and applications of terahertz imaging non-destructive examination. Inspection of space shuttle sprayed on foam insulation
Technologie und Anwendung der Terahertz-Abbildung zur zerstörungsfreien Prüfung. Prüfung von Aufsprühungen auf den Isolierschaum am Space-Shuttle
2005
8 Seiten, 7 Bilder, 5 Quellen
Conference paper
Storage medium
English