Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Grumman Aerospace Corporation

Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc.

Don DiMarzio

Edward V Sullivan

John Douglas Weir

James A Clarke

Robert Silberstein

Charles J Weizenecker

Dom Anton

Robert P Silberstein

Larry Lesyna

Steve Chu

Louis Gregory Casagrande

The present invention relates to a system for imaging the surface of a substrate through a coating on the substrate. The system includes an infrared light source positioned to cast an infrared light upon the substrate to thereby create reflected light. A focal plane array may be positioned to receive the reflected light and generate an image therefrom. At least one optical filter may be disposed between the substrate and the focal plane array so as to pass only coating transparent wavelengths of the reflected light along an optical path between the infrared light source and the focal plane array thereby visually revealing irregular structural features of the substrate as at least one image.

System and method for imaging of coated substrates

A method of thermoplastic coating composite structures includes heating a tool. A thermoplastic layer is deposited onto the heated tool by thermal spraying a thermoplastic on the heated tool. Composite material is applied onto the thermoplastic layer. The thermoplastic layer and the composite material are then cured.

Thermoplastic coating for composite structures

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a spectral nondestructive method for evaluating substrate surface characteristics of a sample substrate. The sample substrate has a sample substrate surface and a generally visually nontransmissive sample coating disposed on the sample substrate surface. The sample coating is transmissive within a first infrared spectral wavelength range and the sample substrate is reflective within the first infrared spectral wavelength range. The method begins with directing infrared radiation from an infrared radiation source towards the coated sample substrate. Specular and diffuse infrared radiation reflected from the coated sample substrate is collected. The reflected radiation is measured as a function of wavelength in the first infrared spectral wavelength range to obtain measured reflectance data representative of the reflectance of the coated sample substrate. The measured reflectance data is compared to reference reflectance data representative of a sample substrate surface having a known physical characteristic within the first wavelength range to obtain differential data. The differential data is correlated to physical characteristics of the sample substrate surface.

Method of spectral nondestructive evaluation

Apparatus for exposing a selected area of a film, and comprising a holding assembly for holding a film, and a first support assembly connected to and supporting the holding assembly. The apparatus further comprises an exposure area control assembly located adjacent the holding assembly and forming an adjustable opening to expose a selected area of the film, and a second support assembly connected to and supporting the exposure area control assembly. Preferably, the first support assembly supports the film assembly for movement upward and downward and forward and rearward, and for pivotal movement about horizontal and vertical axes. Also, the second support assembly supports the exposure area control assembly for forward and rearward movement, and for pivotal movement about horizontal and vertical axes. In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the exposure area control assembly includes a frame and a multitude of slats supported by the frame, and these slats may be moved to vary the size, shape, and position of the adjustable opening formed by that control assembly. A preferred embodiment of the invention described herein in detail is very well suited for seamless topographic imaging large single crystal wafers, and in particular, for controlling the area of an x-ray film that is exposed when x-rays are scanned across a single crystal wafer to produce an x-ray topograph of the wafer.

Apparatus for exposing an adjustable area of a film

An electron beam from a scanning electron microscope, or X-rays from an external X-ray source, impinges on a material sample surface thereby causing the generation of fluorescent X-rays characteristic of the elements present in the sample. An improved energy dispersive X-ray detector system for materials analysis, based on a monolithically fabricated thermal detector array and solid state refrigeration system, is described. The detector array converts the X-ray photons to heat, and the heat is measured as a rise in temperature by thermistors in the individual detector elements in the array. The small detector elements in the array are kept at a low temperature so as to achieve an energy resolution of less than 5 eV, and the multiple elements in the array insure that a sufficient X-ray count rate for normal materials analysis is achieved. The signals from the individual thermal detectors in the array are then processed so that a distribution of X-ray counts as a function of energy is produced, and the characteristic X-ray fluorescent lines of the individual elements in the sample can be identified. Accordingly, the composition of the sample may be determined.

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Northport, NY, United States of America

Don DiMarzio