Combining Brillouin spectroscopy and laser-SAW technique for elastic property characterization of thick DLC films

Surface Brillouin spectroscopy (SBS) has been widely used for elastic property characterization of thin films. For films thicker than 500 nm, however, the wavelength of surface acoustic wave in the frequency range available for SBS is smaller than film thickness, and the SBS measures only the Rayleigh wave of the film. The laser-SAW technique, on the other hand, measures only the low-frequency portion of the surface acoustic wave dispersion and can estimate only one elastic modulus of the film (typically Young's modulus). In this work, we have combined the two methods to determine both Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of a diamond-like carbon (DLC) film. It was found that reasonable estimates can be obtained for the longitudinal wave velocity, shear wave velocity, and Young's modulus of the film. The Poisson's ratio, however, still has a relatively large measurement error.     

Evaluation of interface wave velocity, reflection coefficients and interfacial stiffnesses of contacting surfaces

The phase velocity of the antisymmetric-mode interface wave as well as the longitudinal and shear wave reflection coefficients have been measured for contacting poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) surfaces subjected to different contact pressures. It has been found that while the reflection coefficients decrease as the contact pressure is increased, the phase velocity of the interface wave increases from that of the Rayleigh wave toward that of the bulk shear wave. From these measurements, the normal and tangential interfacial stiffnesses of the contacting PMMA surfaces have been evaluated as functions of the contact pressure. As a result, the two independent procedures to evaluate the tangential stiffness, namely, from the interface wave velocity and from the shear wave reflection measurements, have yielded mutually consistent results. Furthermore, it has been found that the tangential/normal stiffness ratio and the shear/longitudinal reflection ratio of the contact interface are consistent with the predictions of an existing theoretical model for kissing bond interfaces.     

Impact of localized inhomogeneity on the surface-wave velocity and bulk-wave reflection in solids

The effect of a weak surface, near-surface and interfacial inhomogeneity on the frequency dependence of the surface wave velocity and of the SH (shear horizontal) wave reflectivity in isotropic elastic media is studied analytically and numerically. The inhomogeneity is modeled as an infinite planar layer with continuously varying properties. Weak inhomogeneity may markedly affect the dispersion of the Rayleigh velocity and especially of the reflectivity. It is demonstrated how this effect, particularly pronounced at high frequency, depends on the extent of inhomogeneity. The material data for damaged and ideal concrete and several simple examples of inhomogeneity profiles are utilized for the numerical calculations based on the Peano expansion. The use of explicit low- and high-frequency approximations is also exemplified. Among these, simple WKB asymptotics are shown to be particularly helpful for the Rayleigh velocity in the case of a prominent inhomogeneity attached to the surface and for the reflection on weak interfaces.     

Effect of anisotropy on acoustoelastic birefringence in wood

The ultrasonic velocity of shear waves propagating through radial direction of a wood plate specimen, transversely to the loading direction, was measured. By rotating an ultrasonic sensor, the oscillation direction of the shear waves was varied with respect to the wood plate axis and loading direction. The relationship between shear wave velocity and oscillation direction was examined to discuss the effect of anisotropy on the acoustoelastic birefringence in wood. The results obtained were summarized as follows. When the oscillation direction of the shear wave corresponded to the tangential direction of the wood specimen regardless of the stress direction, shear wave velocity decreased markedly and the relationship between shear wave velocity and rotation angle tended to become discontinuous. That is, when the shear waves oscillated in the anisotropic axis of the wood, the shear wave velocity peaked unlike in the case of oscillation in the stress direction. In an isotropic material (acrylic, aluminum 5052), on the contrary, when the shear waves oscillated in the stress direction of the specimen, the shear wave velocity peaked regardless of the main-axis direction of the specimen. On the basis of the discussion of these results, the ultrasonic shear wave propagating in wood under stress is confirmed to be polarized in the anisotropic axis of the wood.     

Finite element analysis of Rayleigh wave interaction with finite-size,surface-breaking cracks

The interaction of surface acoustic waves with finite-size, surface-breaking, semi-circular cracks is studied numerically, and experimentally. We focus on the behavior of the reflection coefficient of the Rayleigh wave from such cracks in the far field of the crack, when the depth of the crack is comparable to the wavelength of the interrogating surface wave. The cases in which the depth of the crack is much smaller or much larger compared to the wavelength have been extensively investigated by many authors and are not considered here except for validating the numerical and experimental results in these regimes. The theoretical, finite element, and experimental results presented are in very good agreement over the range were the crack depth is much smaller or much larger compared to the wavelength of the incident Rayleigh wave. In the transition regime, between these two limiting cases, only the finite element and experimental data show good agreement since the theoretical predictions are no longer applicable. In the high crack depth to wavelength ratio (a/lambda(R)) regime, the finite element and experimental results close to the crack approach the limiting value of the reflection coefficient from a 90 degrees corner.     

Ultrasonic sizing of short surface cracks

This paper presents a method for ultrasonic sizing of surface cracks based on time domain and frequency domain Rayleigh wave near-field analysis. The procedure allows for the entire range of ratio of crack depth to Rayleigh wavelength a/λ to be covered with one single measurement. In the time domain the time-of-flight method was extended to cracks smaller than the wavelength by correlation of the time delay of the transmitted Rayleigh wave with the crack depth. In the frequency domain, the inverse scattering problem was solved by comparison of the measured scattering coefficients and central frequencies of the reflected and transmitted Rayleigh waves with theoretical curves. The sizing procedure was demonstrated experimentally with narrow slots and real fatigue cracks. The out-of-plane displacement component was measured pointwise in the scattered near field by means of laser interferometry. The determination of the scattering parameters in the near field was enabled by a procedure that allows for the Rayleigh wave to be separated from the other modes scattered at the defect. The experimental results showed good accuracy and repeatability down to the smallest available ratio of crack depth to Rayleigh wavelength a/λ = 0.15.     

Principal surface wave velocities in the point focus acoustic materials signature V(z) of an anisotropic solid

This paper deals with the point focus beam (PFB) acoustic materials signature V(z) of an anisotropic solid, and in particular how it tends to be dominated by a limited number of principal surface rays. These rays are associated with propagation directions in which the Rayleigh wave (RW), pseudo-surface acoustic wave (PSAW) or a lateral wave slowness has an extremum. The phenomenon is interpreted in terms of the complex azimuthally averaged reflectance function of the surface, and also explained on the basis of a ray model. We illustrate the phenomenon with a number of examples, pertaining to the surfaces of single crystal copper and a carbon-fibre epoxy composite. In the case of copper, which has a much larger acoustic impedance than the water couplant, the oscillations in V(z) are dominated by principal RW and PSAW, whereas for the composite there is no RW or pseudo-SAW to be discerned with acoustic microscopy (AM), and V(z) is dominated by principal lateral waves. The utility of PFB AM in the study of anisotropic solids is further elaborated with examples showing how V(z) is sensitive to surface orientation, and how V(z) is affected by the presence of a surface over layer. The phenomena examined in this paper expand the scope for determining materials characteristics, such as elastic constants, crystallographic orientation, residual stress and over layer properties, from PFB V(z) measurements.     

Signal enhancement in Rayleigh wave interactions using a laser-ultrasound/EMAT imaging system

Enhancement of signal amplitudes from Rayleigh wave interaction at solid surface features has been investigated when signals were detected by an in-plane electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT). A laser-ultrasound system was used to inspect surface-breaking slots, serving as artificial defects. Nd:YAG laser pulses were delivered onto a metal surface via an optical fiber and focused to a line source by a cylindrical lens. An in-plane EMAT receiver detected transient surface acoustic waves. A-scan signals and B-scan images from surface defects revealed increased signal amplitude up to 2.8+/-0.3 depending on the distance of the transducer from a slot. An explanation is based on the interaction of the EMAT sensor with the Rayleigh wave. A supporting computer model was derived to show that experimental signal enhancements were consistent with numerical predictions.     

Non-contact sound speed measurement by optical probing of beam deflection due to sound wave

We report a non-contact and non-invasive method of sound speed measurement by optical probing of deflected laser beam due to normally incident degenerated shock wave. In this study the shock wave from an exploding wire was degenerated to an ordinary sound wave at the distance exceeding 0.23 m. Temporal resolution of the deflected beam signal was improved by passing through an adequate electronic high-pass filter, as a result we obtained a better temporal resolution than that of the acoustic pressure detection by PZT transducer in terms of rising time. The spatial resolution was improved by passing the refracted beam signal into the edge of focusing lens to make a larger deflection angle. Sound speed was calculated by monitoring the time of flight of transient deflected signal at the predetermined position. Sound speed has been measured in air, distilled water and acryl, agreed well with the published values. The sound speed measured in the solution of glycerin, magnesium sulfate (MgSO4), and dimethylformamide with various mole fractions also agrees within 3% of relative error with those measured in the present work by ultrasonic pulse echo method. The results suggest that the method proposed is to be reliable and reproducible.     

Emission of stress waves during fracture

Emission of both longitudinal and surface (Rayleigh) waves during fracture of plates under conditions of plane stress and plane strain were studied experimentally. The non-equilibrated tensile stress in the fractured section of the plate creates an elastic wave, which travels radially along the plate at the sound speed. Moreover, the high surface deformation around the crack tip, due to the high stress concentration there, propagates as a surface wave following fracture of this zone, at the respective Rayleigh wave speed with a circular wavefront. The influence of the thickness of the plate and the type of fracture (brittle or ductile) was examined and interesting results were derived, by utilizing a high speed photography technique.     

Laser Generation of Surface Waves on Cylinder with a Slow Coating

An analytical model of acoustic field excited by a pulsed-laser line source on a coated cylinder is presented. Surface wave dispersive behaviours for a cylinder with a slow coating are analysed and compared with that of a bare cylinder. Based on this analysis, the laser-generated transient response of the perturbed Rayleigh wave and the higher modes of steel cylinder with a zinc coating are calculated from the model using residue theory and FFT technique. The theoretical result from the superposed waveform of the perturbed Rayleigh wave and higher modes agree well with the waveform obtained in experiment. The results show that the model and numerical method provide a useful technique for quantitatively characterizing coating parameters of coated cylinder by the laser generated surface waves.     

Parameter measurement of the cylindrically curved thin layer using low-frequency circumferential Lamb waves

The characteristic parameters of a cylindrically curved thin layer include its elastic constants, thickness and curved radius. A layer is considered thin if the echoes from the front and back surfaces of the layer cannot be separated in the time domain, and/or that the wave arrivals corresponding to longitudinal and shear wave part cannot be identified in the time or space domain. This paper describes a low-frequency circumferential Lamb wave method to characterize those parameters of a cylindrically curved thin layer. The technique is based on the measurement of circumferential Lamb wave phase velocity and the unknown parameter is estimated through minimizing the mean square error obtained by comparing theoretical and experimental phase velocities. The sensitivity and accuracy of the proposed technique to different parameters are analyzed. Using the present technique, a cylindrically curved thin layer with thickness down to ten percent of the longitudinal wavelength can be successfully measured with an average relative error less than two-percent in our experiment.     

Reflection and mode conversion of surface acoustic waves studied by scanning acoustic force microscopy

We present measurements of the reflection and mode conversion of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) by scanning acoustic force microscopy (SAFM). The SAFM offers a unique combination of high lateral resolution and high sensitivity towards acoustic modes of all polarizations. Since a SAW mixing experiment of two waves can be performed even if the amplitude difference between both waves is 40 dB, wavefields of extremely small amplitudes can be investigated. Using SAFM, the reflection of SAWs from a metallic wedge is investigated with submicron lateral resolution. We are able to identify two reflected wave modes, a Love and a non-coupling Rayleigh mode, by measuring their phase velocities. Received: 4 December 2000 / Accepted: 6 December 2000 / Published online: 9 February 2001     

An electric contact method to measure contact state between stator and rotor in a traveling wave ultrasonic motor

Performances of ultrasonic motor (USM) depend considerably on contact state between stator and rotor. To measure the contact state in a traveling wave ultrasonic motor (TWUSM), a special test method is necessary. This paper develops a new method named electric contact method to measure contact state of stator and rotor in traveling wave type USM. The effects of pre-load and exciting voltage (amplitude) of stator on contact state between stator and rotor are studied with this method. By a simulating tester of friction properties of TWUSM, the variations of stalling torque and no-load speed against the pre-load and the exciting voltage have been measured. The relative contact length that describes the contact characteristic of stator and rotor is proposed. The relation between the properties of TWUSM and the contact state of stator and rotor are presented. Additionally, according to a theoretical contact model of stator and rotor in TWUSM, the contact lengths at given conditions are calculated and compared with the experimental results.     

Enhanced experimental approach to measure the absolute ultrasonic wave attenuation

The absolute ultrasonic wave attenuation is an important input parameter for mathematical models, which play an increasingly important role in non-destructive testing. The measurement of the absolute ultrasonic wave attenuation however is a difficult task. When conventional measurement techniques are applied, corrections to the raw data are required to account for apparent losses. In this study, a modified experimental approach is proposed to determine the absolute ultrasonic attenuation without any further corrections of the raw data.     

On Rayleigh waves in incompressible orthotropic elastic solids

In this paper the secular equation for the Rayleigh wave speed in an incompressible orthotropic elastic solid is obtained in a form that does not admit spurious solutions. It is then shown that inequalities on the material constants that ensure positive definiteness of the strain-energy function guarantee existence and uniqueness of the Rayleigh wave speed. Finally, an explicit formula for the Rayleigh wave speed is obtained.     

Wave guide imaging through Time Domain Topological Energy

Time Domain Topological Energy (TDTE), uses the reflected ultrasonic field recorded by an array of transducers placed on the boundary of the inspected medium. Two numerical determinations (forward and adjoint problems) of the acoustical field inside a reference medium are necessary to compute an image. Topological Energy is defined as a variation of topological sensitivity or gradient and comes from the field of mathematical optimisation. Recent developments for Non-Destructive Testing have shown the analogy with Time Reversal concepts. Time Reversal mirrors have been employed for various applications in a wide number of situations including wave guides where very good re-focalization performances have been obtained with a reduced number of transducers instead of an array of transducers. Moreover recent works have enlightened that the reverberation properties of a wave guide allow to re-focalize using Time Reversal with only one transducer. For TDTE imaging a single transducer placed at one end of a wave guide has been modelled. The boundaries of the wave guide create virtual sources that can be understood as a virtual array of transducers. Numerical and experimental results are presented using TDTE and a single transducer in a wave guide for targets and conditions of increasing complexity.     

Bonding Interface Imaging and Shear Strength Prediction by Ultrasound

The propagation of a longitudinal ultrasonic wave normally incident upon an adhesively bonded structure is studied. The structure consists of adherend and adhesive layers with finite thickness. Interfaces between adherend and adhesive are regarded as distributed springs. Theoretical and experimental results show that resonant frequencies of the bonded structure vary sensitively with the interface stiffness constants and adhesive thickness, and these interface characteristics are inversed by the simulation annealing (SA) method. Furthermore, the distribution image of interface stiffnesses is compared with the state of fracture interface, and quantitative prediction of shear strength is achieved based on the distribution of interface stiffnesses and adhesive thicknesses by using a back-propagation neutral network. The average relative error of the shear strength from prediction to real value is 10.7%.