Lockheed Martin Corporation

General Electric Company

Iphoton Solutions, LLC

Other

Marc Dubois

Thomas E Drake

Peter William Lorraine

Robert John Filkins

John Broddus Deaton, Jr

Brian Lee Lawrence

Eugene Pauling Boden

Xiaolei Shi

Mark Alan Osterkamp

Kenneth R Yawn

Pingfan Peter Wu

Donald Robert Howard

Barbara Venchiarutti

Patrick Joseph McCloskey

James Edward Pickett

Kwok Pong Chan

Joseph Lucian Smolenski

Harry Israel Ringermacher

Timothy Gerard Richter

Anthony Sebastian Bauco

Kathryn Lynn Longley

William David Richards

Marvin E Klein

Pavel Alexeyevich Fomitchov

Kent Charles Burr

Azar Alizadeh

Michael Jeffrey McLaughlin

Peifang Tian

Jeffery E Maestas

Tho X Do

David L Kaiser

Jr Thomas E Drake

John B Deaton

A method for storing data including: providing a first substrate having a plurality of micro-holograms therein, the micro-holograms being indicative of the data; providing a second hologram-supporting substrate; illuminating the plurality of micro-holograms in the first substrate through the second substrate, thereby producing a holographic pattern in the second substrate indicative of reflections of the plurality of micro-holograms in the first substrate; providing a third hologram-supporting substrate; and, illuminating the holographic pattern in the second substrate through the third substrate, thereby substantially replicating the plurality of micro-holograms in the first substrate in the third substrate.

Data storage method and device

A method for storing holographic data, said method comprising: step (A) providing an optically transparent substrate comprising a polymer composition and a light absorbing chromophore, said polymer composition comprising a continuous phase and a dispersed phase, said dispersed phase being less than about 200 nm in size; and step (B) irradiating a volume element of the optically transparent substrate with a holographic interference pattern, wherein the pattern has a first wavelength and an intensity both sufficient to cause a phase change in at least a portion of the dispersed phase within the volume element of the substrate to produce within the irradiated volume element refractive index variations corresponding to the holographic interference pattern, thereby producing an optically readable datum corresponding to the volume element.

Method for storing holographic data

A laser ultrasonic measurement system includes a first and a second laser source configured to generate a first and a second laser beam, respectively. A movable mechanical link is arranged to transmit the first laser beam. The movable mechanical link is formed by a plurality of rigid sections interconnected by rotating joints. A robot is configured to support and control the movement of at least a section of the mechanical link to transmit the first laser beam to an object. An optical scanner is positioned proximate to the mechanical link. The optical scanner is configured to direct the first and second laser beams onto the object. An interferometer is optically coupled to the optical scanner. The interferometer is configured to receive reflected light from the object and in response generate an electrical signal. The first laser source is kinematically mounted in a housing assembly.

Laser ultrasonic measurement system with movable beam delivery

A system and method for the analysis of composite materials. Improved techniques for the measurement of the shape and position of the composite article are provided, which include improved scanning rates using structured light.

Accurate image acquisition for structured-light system for optical shape and positional measurements

An interferometer includes a cavity including a pair of mirrors defining a cavity length. An input beam and a counter-propagating reference beam are directed into the cavity. The interferometer generates a feedback control signal and an ultrasound signal for optimal performance and measurement of a target, respectively.

Adjustable interferometer for laser ultrasonic measurement

A mid infrared range laser source for ultrasound inspection having a high energy laser coupled with one or more harmonic generation devices. The high energy laser may be a COlaser and tuned to emit laser light at a single wavelength. The harmonic generation devices convert the laser beam into the mid infrared range for optimal ultrasound inspection.

[object Object]

A compact high average power mid infrared range laser for ultrasound inspection. The laser comprises one of a Nd:YAG or Yb:YAG laser pumped by a diode at 808 nm to produce a 1 micron output beam. The 1 micron output beam is directed to an optical parametric oscillator where the beam wavelength is converted to 1.94 microns and conveyed to a mid infrared emission head. The emission head comprises one of a Ho:YAG or Ho:YLG laser optically coupled with a second optical parametric oscillator. The second optical parametric oscillator forms a generation output beam for creating ultrasonic displacements on a target. The generation output beam wavelength ranges from about 3 to about 4 microns, and can be 3.2 microns.

Mid-IR laser for generation of ultrasound

A method of spectroscopic analysis of a material using a laser ultrasound system. The method includes measuring amplitude displacement of a target surface that has been excited with a generation laser. The amplitude displacements relate to the target's optical absorption properties. Amplitude displacements are generated over a range of laser wavelengths to obtain an optical absorption signature useful to identify the target material characteristics.

Method and apparatus for spectroscopic characterization of samples using a laser-ultrasound system

An inspection system is provided to examine internal structures of a target material. This inspection system includes a generation laser, an ultrasonic detection system, a thermal imaging system, and a processor/control module. The generation laser produces a pulsed laser beam that is operable to induce ultrasonic displacements and thermal transients at the target material. The ultrasonic detection system detects ultrasonic surface displacements at the target material. The thermal imaging system detects thermal transients at the target material. The processor analyzes both detected ultrasonic displacements and thermal imagery of the target material to yield information about the target material's internal structure.

Non-destructive inspection using laser-ultrasound and infrared thermography

Block-terminated fiber for laser generation of ultrasonic waves

A pulse detection laser is provided. The pulse detection laser includes a single frequency oscillator, a continuous pre-amplifier, and a pulsed amplifier. The single frequency oscillator generates a seed laser beam and is optically coupled to the continuous preamplifier. The continuous pre-amplifier amplifies the seed laser to produce an intermediate power laser beam. A pulsed amplifier optically coupled to the continuous pre-amplifier receives the intermediate power laser beam and amplifies the intermediate power laser beam to produce a pulse detection laser beam. One task of this pulse detection laser is to illuminate ultrasonic displacements. Light from the laser is scattered, collected, and analyzed with an interferometer to demodulate the ultrasonic displacements caused by the return echoes of the ultrasound at the surface of the part.

Pre-amplifier for detection lasers within laser ultrasonic inspection systems

A method of ultrasonic testing comprising conditioning a radiation wave from a laser source by efficiently converting the radiation wave's wavelength to a mid-IR wavelength for enhanced ultrasonic testing of a composite. The method includes passing the radiation wave through a first optical frequency converter where the radiation wave is converted into a signal wave and an idler wave, where the idler wave is at a mid-IR wavelength. The method further includes directing the signal and idler waves to a second optical frequency converter where the signal wave wavelength is converted to a mid-IR wavelength which combines with the idler wave to form a generation wave. The generation wave is directed at a composite surface to be tested.

Method and apparatus for generating mid-IR laser beam for ultrasound inspection

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a laser system and method for the optical generation of ultrasound at a remote target. This involves generating a pump laser beam with a diode-pumped fiber laser. The diode pumped fiber laser is fiber-coupled with an optical fiber, either passive or diode pumped, to a generation laser head. The generation laser head generates a generation laser beam from the pump laser beam and directs the generation laser beam to the surface of the remote target. The interaction between generation laser beam and the surface of the remote target results in ultrasonic displacements at the remote target. These ultrasonic displacements may be sampled in order to assess and inspect the remote target.

Fiber-based mid-infrared generation laser for laser ultrasound inspection

A system and method that replaces safety requirements of a laser detection system by shifting the wavelength of a detection laser. An optical wavelength converter that shifts the optical wavelength of a detection laser from a first wavelength within the Infrared 'A' portion of the spectrum to a more eye-safe wavelength. The detection laser is directed to the surface of a remote target. Ultrasonic displacements at the surface scatter the filtered detection laser. Collection optics then gather phase modulated light scattered by the surface and direct the phase modulated light to an optical processor that produces a signal representative of the ultrasonic displacements. Signal processors then determine the internal structure of the remote target based on the signal.

System and method to enable eye-safe laser ultrasound detection

An ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation (NDE) system operable to inspect target materials is provided. This ultrasonic NDE system includes an articulated robot, an ultrasound inspection head, a processing module, and a control module. The ultrasound inspection head couples to or mounts on the articulated robot. The ultrasound inspection head is operable to deliver a generation laser beam, a detection laser beam, and collect phase modulated light scattered by the target materials. The processing module processes the phase modulated light and produces information about the internal structure of the target materials. The control module directs the articulated robot to position the ultrasound inspection head according to a pre-determined scan plan.

Growing community of inventors

Keller, TX, United States of America

Marc Dubois