MICROWAVE-INDUCED TIME-RESOLVED INFRARED RADIOMETRY FOR SUBSURFACE DEFECT DETECTION AND CHARACTERIZATION

The use of microwaves as a heating source in time-resolved infrared ra diometry provides the ability to heat surface and subsurface microwave -absorbing regions of a specimen directly. This can improve the contra st and spatial resolution of such regions and enhance their detectabil ity when compared with conventional laser or flash lamp sources. Appli cations such as subsurface water detection or the detection of carbon fiber contaminates in epoxy composites are investigated experimentally and analytically.