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Interferometric Subsurface Evaluation System

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: FA8501-04-M-0130
Agency Tracking Number: F041-274-1012
Amount: $99,999.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: AF04-274
Solicitation Number: 2004.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2004
Award Year: 2004
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2004-05-14
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2005-02-14
Small Business Information
Electro-Optics & Holography Division, 20600 Gramer
Torrance, CA 90501
United States
DUNS: 153865951
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Russell Kurtz
 Team Leader
 (310) 320-3088
 sutama@poc.com
Business Contact
 Gordon Drew
Title: Chief Financial Officer
Phone: (310) 320-3088
Email: gdrew@poc.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Accurate detection of subsurface corrosion and other defects in aircraft can prevent serious damage to multimillion-dollar machinery and save lives. The Air Force therefore has a need for an easily operated, portable non-destructive evaluation (NDE) system that can detect, identify, and localize subsurface defects. To address this need, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a novel Interferometric Subsurface Evaluation System (ISES), which will significantly improve on current NDE methods. The proposed ISES implements a phase conjugate Michelson interferometer to measure surface nanodeflection, combined with a novel optical phase-stepping technique and thermal pulsing. The ISES will be rugged, able to operate in the field, and highly reliable, unlike current ultrasonic NDE equipment. It will accurately detect and localize subsurface defects, unlike current interferometric and holographic NDE testing systems. The ISES will rapidly and accurately detect corrosion areas less than 0.030 inch in size in multilayer materials up to 0.5 inch thick. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of ISES by developing and testing a laboratory prototype, and showing that it can detect and localize known defects in multilayer materials. In Phase II POC plans to develop a functional prototype for demonstration at an Air Force test site.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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