Lockheed Martin Corporation

Iphoton Solutions, LLC

Thomas E Drake

Marc Dubois

Peter William Lorraine

Robert John Filkins

John Broddus Deaton, Jr

Mark Alan Osterkamp

Kenneth R Yawn

Harry Israel Ringermacher

Donald Robert Howard

Timothy Gerard Richter

Marvin E Klein

Pavel Alexeyevich Fomitchov

Kent Charles Burr

David L Kaiser

Tho X Do

Jeffery E Maestas

John B Deaton

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.

Articulated robot for laser ultrasonic inspection

A laser transmission system is used for inspecting workpieces. The system has a source of laser beams that is coupled to a first lens assembly. A first hollow core waveguide is operably coupled to the first lens assembly. An end of an optical fiber coupled to the first hollow core waveguide. A second hollow core waveguide is coupled to the other end of the optical fiber. A second lens assembly operably coupled to the second hollow core waveguide. The length of the hollow core waveguides range from about 5 to 100 times the focal lengths of the lens assemblies. A motion control system is operably coupled to the second hollow core waveguide and the second lens assembly for controllably displacing the second hollow core waveguide and the second lens assembly with respect to a workpiece.

Hollow core waveguide for laser generation of ultrasonic waves

A system and method for detecting ultrasonic surface displacements at a remote target are disclosed, one embodiment of the system comprising: a first laser to generate a first laser beam. The first laser beam produces ultrasonic surface displacements on a surface of the remote target. A second laser generates a second laser beam operable to detect the ultrasonic surface displacements on the surface of the remote target and to provide a reference beam to an interferometer. The second laser beam is split, at a beam-splitter, into a pump beam and a probe beam. The pump beam is amplified by a first amplifier and the probe beam is amplified by a second amplifier. The pump beam is then provided to the interferometer as a reference beam and the probe beam is directed to the target to detect the ultrasonic surface displacements. The first and second amplifiers can be controlled independently of one another to control their respective laser beam's power. Collection optics collect phase modulated light from the probe beam either reflected or scattered by the remote target, which can be optionally optically processed to increase the light intensity. The interferometer is a TWM interferometer that receives and processes the phase modulated light and generates at least one output signal based on the phase-modulated light and the amplified reference laser beam.

Growing community of inventors

Fort Worth, TX, United States of America

Thomas E Drake