Engineering Research Equipment Grant: Laser Array Induced Ultrasound for Quality Control

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The award is for an equipment grant to purchase a Q-switched YAG Laser, vibration isolation optical table, and optical mounting devices. The equipment will be used to support research in the evolving area of laser array generation of ultrasound. This technology will be used on-line to control weld quality in real- time, in particular the depth of weld penetration and porosity. Ultrasonics is a promising method for weld quality control because of its ability to penetrate opaque bodies and be reflected at discontinuities. The research is expected to yield a significantly more efficient technique of noncontact laser generation of ultrasound, for nondestructive testing of materials and processes. The technique being developed uses an array of laser beams in place of a single laser beam. A noncontact electromagnetic acoustic transducer will be used as a receiver.//