Patent ID: 9618433
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: G01M,G01N

Claim:
1. A system for non-destructive evaluation of a bond between structures, the system comprising: an assembly of at least two bonded structures having different acoustic impedances, the assembly having a front surface, a back surface, and a bond to be evaluated disposed between the structures; at least one delay component attached to the front surface of the assembly, the delay component comprising a body having a front face, a back face, and a thickness; and a laser source configured to deposit at least one pulse of laser energy onto the front face of the at least one delay component, wherein a first portion of the laser energy is absorbed by the front face of the at least one delay component to generate an initial compression wave that propagates through the body of the at least one delay component, and wherein a second portion of the laser energy passes through the body of the at least one delay component and is absorbed by the back face of the at least one delay component to generate a second compression wave that reflects off of the back surface of the assembly to produce a tension wave that stresses the bond.