Patent Description:
For the non-destructive testing of materials the use of eddy current sensors is well established. In general terms, an eddy current sensor comprises a flat coil which is arranged in close proximity to the surface of the material to be tested. When a signal, e. an alternating voltage, is applied to the contacts at the end of the wire forming the coil, the sensor coil is excited and an alternating electromagnetic field is generated which penetrates into the material to be probed. The alternating electromagnetic field induces in the material eddy currents which themselves are sensed by the coil as a change in the impedance. The surface area which is tested is given by the contour of the coil to which the signal is applied.

The use of an eddy current sensor is particularly known for the testing of layered materials, such as laminates, in particular for the testing of plies made up of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) layers. In this context, an eddy current sensor, which has usually a rectangular shape, is used to study the number as well as the orientation of plies. The relative orientation of the plies is deduced from the orientation of the carbon fibers which reinforce each ply.

Using an eddy current sensor with a coil of a rectangular shape, the study of a larger portion of the surface of the CRFP requires to shift the coil with respect to the surface under inspection. Furthermore, in order to gain an information on the orientation of the carbon fibers within each ply, the coil has to be rotated parallel to the surface under study. The mechanical rotation involves the intervention of an operator, which reduces the precision of the measurement. Providing an automatic system for moving, in particular for rotating, the eddy current sensor relative to the surface under study, renders the system expensive. In addition to the inaccuracy of a human operator and the costs of an automatic system for shifting the eddy current sensor relative to the surface, both alternatives are disadvantageous in terms of an execution time for the non-destructive testing (NDT).

<CIT> discloses an eddy current sensor, wherein the coils are formed as equilateral triangles and wherein the triangular coils do not have a <NUM>° angle. <CIT> discloses that two coils are rotated to make a differential coupling so that a relative movement of the coils is required in order to measure a response.

<CIT> discloses a device for contactless measurement of a displacement path, especially for the detection of position and movement. The flat coils used have a triangular shape so that two opposed triangular coils form a rectangular shape. In order to measure an eddy current in the coils a target has to move in the direction of arrow D.

<CIT> discloses a non-destructive inspection device having a plurality of equilateral triangular coils T1 to T6 forming a shape of a parallel hexagon or of a parallelogram. For sensing an eddy current the target moves parallel with the coil surface of the detection coil.

<CIT> discloses an eddy current examination probe, wherein a plurality of rectangular planar coils connected in series is arranged in a ring on the circumference of a cylinder. The coils used are parallelogram type planar coils. The coils arranged in a ring state are supplied with high frequency power, wherein a high-frequency power is applied to the entire coil-structure.

<CIT> discloses an arrangement for determining thicknesses and thickness variations. The arrangement comprises an electrically conductive element and guide elements in the form of conveyor rollers. A deflection of the guide elements from one another produces a displacement of the electrically conductive element along a plane defined by a flat coil which results in an eddy current.

To date, the mechanical rotation of the eddy current sensors has been seemed to be without an alternative when probing a material for a direction information, in particular when testing a material like a laminate made up of plies of CFRP.

It is an object of the invention to provide an eddy current sensor which does not need to be rotated relative to the surface under study in order to gain a directional information.

According to the invention, this object is accomplished by an eddy current sensor for non-destructive testing of a substrate according to claim <NUM>.

The eddy current sensor according to the invention comprises a control unit; and a plurality of eddy current sensor elements, with each eddy current sensor elements comprising an assembly of at least a first and a second flat coil, wherein the first flat coil and the second flat coil each have a triangular shape with a first to third coil edge, wherein one of the edges of the first flat coil and one of the edges of the second flat coil are arranged adjacent and parallel to each other, and wherein the assembly has a square shape. The eddy current sensor elements are arranged in a quadrangular order, adjacent and parallel to each other, such that any two adjacent eddy current sensor elements have two parallel edges. The control unit is configured to simultaneously and jointly apply a first signal to the coils of a first sub-group, wherein the first sub group comprises at least two adjacent elements of the plurality of eddy current sensor elements. The control unit is further configured to shift the sub-group in at least two directions by applying a second signal to a second sub-group of the coils, wherein the second sub-group comprises at least two adjacent elements of the plurality of eddy current sensor elements with at least one of the eddy current sensor elements of the second sub-group also forming part of the first sub-group. The first and the second signals being such that adjacent inner edges of the flat coils of each sub-group are provided with currents in anti-parallel directions and such that the collective outer edge of the flat coils of each sub group is provided with a current in a collective circumferential direction. The control unit being further configured to sense the response of the substrate by detecting a change in impedance of the coils to which the signal has been applied.

As still regards the eddy current sensor element according to claim <NUM>, the invention further envisages a method according to claim <NUM> for operating the eddy current sensor element,
the method comprising the step of exciting the eddy current sensor element by simultaneously applying a signal to each of the first and the second coil, such that the edge of the first flat coil and the edge of the second flat coil being arranged adjacent and parallel to each other are traversed by currents in antiparallel directions.

The invention is based on the observation that, providing two parallel electrically conductive wires, when the first wire is traversed with an electrical current of a first direction and the second wire is traversed with an appropriately chosen electrical current in a direction anti-parallel to the first direction, the resulting electromagnetic fields of the two oppositely traversed wires will superpose so that they may cancel each other, to the effect that the resultant electromagnetic field vanishes to a large extent around the two parallel wires.

As for a single eddy current sensor element, when according to the method for operating this single eddy current element this single eddy current element is excited by simultaneously applying a signal (e. an alternating voltage) to the first coil and to the second coil, respectively, such that the edge of the first flat coil and the edge of the second flat coil are arranged adjacent and parallel, these two edges can be traversed by currents in antiparallel directions. In particular, it may be enabled that at the two parallel edges the electromagnetic fields of the two currents may superpose such that the resultant electromagnetic field nearly vanishes. In effect, the electromagnetic field of the excited single eddy current element is that of the remaining sides of the at least two triangular shaped coils, i. that of an effective coil having the square shape of the eddy current sensor element.

In a preferred embodiment each of the at least two flat coils of the eddy current sensor element has the shape of an isosceles triangle.

For the eddy current sensor element, in a preferred embodiment each of the coils has the shape of a right-angled triangle.

For the eddy current sensor element, in a preferred embodiment it is envisaged that the assembly comprises two flat coils.

In particular, it is envisaged for an eddy current sensor element comprising exactly two flat coils each of which having the shape of a right-angled triangle, the two flat coils are arranged such that the hypothenuse-edges of the first coil and of the second coil are parallel.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, it is envisaged that the assembly comprises four flat coils such that for any one of the coils, a first edge of this coil is parallel to an edge of a first adjacent coil, and a second edge of this coil is parallel to an edge of a second adjacent coil.

For the eddy current sensor element it is envisaged in a preferred embodiment that all flat coils of the assembly are formed by an electrically conductive wire material deposited on a substrate layer, wherein the wire material forms the flat coil, wherein an external length of two sceles is approx. <NUM>, a line width is approx. <NUM>, an interline space is approx. <NUM> and a number of turns is <NUM>, wherein the triangular shaped flat coils are dimensioned for an operating frequency of <NUM>,<NUM> to <NUM>, in particular of approximately <NUM>.

For the eddy current sensor element it an advantage if all of the flat coils of the assembly are congruent to each other. As a consequence, the dimensional characteristics as well as the electrical characteristics of all the flat coils are roughly the same.

In a preferred embodiment it is envisaged that the eddy current sensor elements form an array of columns and rows. By selectively addressing adjacent eddy current sensor elements a preferred directional information along the columns, along the rows and along a diagonal between the columns and the rows can be obtained.

As regards the method for operating the eddy current sensor element, in a preferred way to perform the method it is envisaged to perform the step of.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of at least one preferred embodiment as well as from the appended set of claims.

In the following, the invention will be described with reference being made to the appended figures.

<FIG> shows an exemplary embodiment of an eddy current sensor <NUM> for a non-destructive testing (NDT) of a substrate, in particular for the NDT of a laminated substrate comprising four plies of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).

The eddy current sensor comprises an assembly of flat coils, in particular an rectangular assembly of thirty-six flat coils which are arranged in a fixed manner on a rigid substrate layer <NUM>. As can be seen, the eddy current sensor <NUM> comprises a plurality of at least three, in particular nine, eddy current sensor elements.

In <FIG>, one of the eddy current elements is designated by the reference numeral '<NUM>' and is depicted in more detail in <FIG>.

<FIG> shows the eddy current sensor element <NUM> in a schematic fashion. As can be seen, the eddy current sensor element <NUM> comprises an assembly <NUM> of at least a first flat coil <NUM> and a second flat coil <NUM>. In fact, the assembly <NUM> further comprises a third flat coil <NUM> and a fourth flat coil <NUM>. As can be seen, the first and the second flat coil <NUM>, <NUM> have each a triangular shape. Furthermore, the assembly <NUM> has an overall quadrangular, in particular a rectangular, and specifically a square shape.

All of the four flat coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the assembly <NUM> are congruent to each other which means that the dimensional sizes as well as the electric characteristics of the four coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are equal. In the following, only the first flat coil <NUM> is described in more detail.

<FIG> shows the first flat coil <NUM> with the triangular shape. As can be seen, the flat coil <NUM> has the shape of an isosceles triangle, with a length 'D' for both of the sceles of the tringle. Furthermore, the flat coil <NUM> has the shape of a right-angled triangle, with an angle of <NUM>° where the two sceles meet. The third edge opposite the right angle is termed the 'hypotenuse-edge' of the triangle.

The flat coil <NUM> is formed by an electrically conductive wire material deposited on a substrate layer. The wire material forms the flat coil <NUM> with an external length D of the two sceles of approx. <NUM>, a line width Ip of approx. <NUM>, an inter-line space of approx. <NUM> and a number of turns n of <NUM>. The depicted triangular-shaped flat coil <NUM> is designed for an operating frequency of <NUM> to <NUM>, in particular of approximately <NUM>.

The first flat coil <NUM> has two contact points <NUM>, <NUM> such that a signal, in particular an alternating voltage, can be applied to the flat coil <NUM>. Once an signal, in particular the alternating voltage, is applied to the contact points <NUM>, <NUM>, the flat coil <NUM> is excited and an alternating current traverses the wire material of the flat coil <NUM> causing an alternating electromagnetic field to surround the edges of the flat coil <NUM>. The alternating electromagnetic field induces in the substrate under study eddy currents which in turn change the impedance of the flat coil <NUM>. This change in impedance can be sensed in order to gain an information on the substrate under study.

As a consequence, the flat coil <NUM> can act as an eddy current sensor unit. The application of an operating frequency of approximately <NUM> has the effect that non-excited adjacent coils, which are `at rest' with respect to the excited coils, do not influence the measuring result to a significant extent (below, with reference to <FIG>).

The outer contour of the conductor forming the coil <NUM> renders the coil <NUM> a triangular shape. In particular, the coil <NUM> has the shape of an isosceles triangle, with two edges <NUM>, <NUM> (the 'sceles') of the triangle having the same length D. As can further be seen, the flat coil <NUM> has the shape of a right-angled triangle, since the angle between the sceles <NUM>, <NUM> is approx. The third edge of the triangle opposite the right angle is called hypotenuse-edge or base <NUM>.

As can be seen in <FIG>, the eddy current sensor element <NUM> comprises four coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> each of which having the triangular shape described in more detail in <FIG> with reference to the first flat coil <NUM>. The four flat coils <NUM> to <NUM> are arranged so that the vertices of each triangle, where the respective right angle is formed, meet at the center of the square, such that the contour of the square is formed by the hypotenuse-edges 4c, 5c, 6c, 7c or bases of each of the triangular coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>. In particular, the assembly <NUM> comprises the four flat coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> such that for any one of the coils, a first edge of this coil is parallel to an edge of a first adjacent coil, and a second edge of this coil is parallel to an edge of a second adjacent coil. Starting with the first flat coil <NUM>, a first edge 4a of the first flat coil <NUM> is parallel to an edge 7b of the fourth coil <NUM> adjacent to the first coil <NUM>, and a second edge 4b is parallel to an edge 5a of the second coil <NUM> which is adjacent to the first coil <NUM>.

In a similar fashion, starting with the third flat coil <NUM>, a first edge 6a of the third coil <NUM> is parallel to an edge 5b of the second coil <NUM> adjacent to the third coil <NUM>, and a second edge 6b is parallel to an edge 7a of the fourth coil <NUM> adjacent to the third coil <NUM>. In particular, the second edge 4b of the first flat coil <NUM> is arranged adjacent and parallel to the first edge 5a of the second flat coil <NUM>.

The assembly <NUM> of the four coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the eddy current sensor element <NUM> can be viewed to be so arranged such that four pairs of mutually parallel edges are formed, namely the edges 4a, 7b between the fourth and the first coil <NUM>, <NUM>, the edges 4b, 5a between the first and the second coil <NUM>, <NUM>, the edges 5b, 6a between the second and the third coil <NUM>, <NUM>, and the edges 6b, 7a between the third and the fourth coil <NUM>, <NUM>. The edges 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b can be viewed as 'inner' edges since they do not contribute to the overall quadrangular, in particular rectangular, more precisely square shape of the assembly <NUM>. In fact, the square shape of the assembly <NUM> is due to the hypotenuse-edges 4c, 5c, 6c and 7c of the respective triangular-shaped flat coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

The eddy current sensor element <NUM> as depicted in <FIG> enables to perform a method for operating this eddy current sensor element <NUM>, wherein the method comprises the step of exciting this eddy current element <NUM> by simultaneously applying a signal, in particular an alternating voltage, to the first coil <NUM> and to the second coil <NUM>, such that the edge 4b of the first flat coil <NUM> and the edge 5a of the second flat coil <NUM>, which are arranged adjacent and parallel to each other, are traversed by currents in antiparallel directions. In particular, since the coils <NUM> and <NUM> are congruent to each other, it is enabled to apply a voltage of equal polarity and roughly the same absolute value to each of the coils <NUM> and <NUM> simultaneously with the effect that the electromagnetic fields along the adjacent and parallel edges 4b, 5a tend to superpose such that the resultant electromagnetic field vanishes to a significant, in particular a maximum extend. As a result, the surface area which is probed would be that of a coil the contour of which would be delimited by the sceles 5b and 4a of the coils <NUM> and <NUM> as well as the outer edges 4c, 5c.

In particular, starting from the eddy current sensor element <NUM> as depicted in <FIG>, it is enabled to perform the method for operating this eddy current sensor element <NUM> so as to excite the entire eddy current sensor element <NUM> by applying simultaneously a signal to each of the coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> such that the resultant electromagnetic fields along the four pairs of mutually parallel adjacent inner edges 7b, 4a and 4b, 5a and 5b, 6a as well as 6b, 7a vanishes to a maximum extent having the effect that the resultant electromagnetic field of the eddy current sensor element <NUM> is given by the outer edges of the contour of the eddy current sensor element <NUM>, i. by the four hypotenuse-edges 4c, 5c, 6c and 7c. As a result, the excited eddy current sensor element <NUM> has the effect of a square-shaped coil. To achieve this result, a signal, in particular an alternating voltage of equal polarity and roughly the same absolute value has to be applied simultaneously to each of the coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, which causes the currents in adjacent coils to traverse the coil in the same (in <FIG>: counter-clockwise) direction.

Once having excited the eddy current sensor element <NUM> as described above, the measuring process is completed by sensing the response of the excited substrate by detecting a change in impedance in the flat coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the eddy current sensor element <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the as-described eddy current sensor element <NUM> comprises four coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and which can be referred to as a 'four coil eddy current sensor element'. Furthermore, <FIG> shows a second kind of a sensor element <NUM> which comprises two flat coils and which can be referred to as a 'two coil eddy current sensor element'. As can be seen in <FIG>, the first coil <NUM> is adjacent to a second coil <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an eddy current sensor element <NUM> for the non-destructive testing of a substrate, comprising an assembly <NUM> of two flat coils <NUM>, <NUM>, wherein the first flat coil <NUM> and the second flat coil <NUM> each have a triangular shape with a first to third coil edge 4a, 4b, 4c, 14a, 14b, 14c. The second coil <NUM> is congruent to the first coil <NUM> which was described in detail with respect to <FIG> above, in particular, the second coil <NUM> has the shape of a right-angled isosceles triangle.

As can be seen in <FIG>, the hypotenuse edge 4c of the first coil <NUM> is arranged adjacent and parallel to the hypotenuse edge 14c of the second coil <NUM> such that the assembly <NUM> has a quadrangular, in particular a rectangular, more precisely a square shape. In particular, the two flat coils <NUM>, <NUM> are such arranged that the hypotenuse edges 4c, 14c of the first coil <NUM> and of the second coil <NUM> are parallel. With respect to the square-shaped contour of the eddy current sensor element <NUM>, the hypotenuse edges 4c, 14c are to be regarded as inner edges since they do not contribute to the shape. Rather, the square shape of the eddy current sensor element <NUM> is delimited by the outer edges 14a, 14b and 4a, 4b of the triangle-shaped flat coils <NUM>, <NUM>.

Regarding the method for operating the eddy current sensor element <NUM>, in a preferred way for performing the method, for exciting the eddy current sensor element <NUM> a signal, in particular an alternating voltage, is applied to each of the first flat coil <NUM> and to the second flat coil <NUM> such that the edge 4c of the first flat coil <NUM> and the edge 14c of the second flat coil <NUM> which are arranged adjacent and parallel to each other are traversed by currents in antiparallel directions. In particular, when applying a first voltage to the first flat coil <NUM> and a second voltage to the second flat coil <NUM>, when the voltages have the same absolute value and the same polarities, the resulting electromagnetic field at the parallel and adjacent edges 4c, 14c vanishes to a maximum extent. Again, to achieve this result, the signal, in particular the alternating voltage of equal polarity and about the same absolute value has to be applied simultaneously to each of the coils <NUM>, <NUM>, which causes the currents in the two adjacent coils to traverse the coil in the same (in <FIG>:clockwise) direction.

The measuring process is completed by performing the step 'sensing the response of the excited substrate by detecting a change in impedance in the flat coils <NUM>, <NUM> of the eddy current sensor element <NUM>'.

<FIG> shows two different types of square-shaped eddy current sensor elements, namely a first type comprising four coils, as described above with reference to <FIG>, and referred to above as 'four coil eddy current sensor element', and a second type, comprising two coils, as described above with reference to <FIG>, and referred to above as 'two coil eddy current sensor element'.

In the following, the term 'four coil ECSE' refers to the first type of the eddy current sensor element, and the term 'two coil ECSE' to the second type of the eddy current sensor.

<FIG> shows that the eddy current sensor <NUM> for the non-destructive testing of a substrate comprises a plurality, i. more than three, eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, <NUM>, wherein the eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, <NUM> are arranged in a quadrangular, in particular a rectangular, order adjacent and parallel to each other.

In particular, referring to the four coil ECSE indicated with the reference numeral <NUM>, to the right a second four coil ECSE 2a can be seen as well as a third four coil ECSE 2b. In particular, along a horizontal direction (arrow <NUM>), the four coil ECSE 2a is adjacent to both, the four coil ECSE <NUM> and the four coil ECSE 2b.

Likewise, in a vertical direction (arrow <NUM>), a four coil ECSE 2c is adjacent to the four coil ECSE <NUM> and to the four coil ECSE 2d.

As can be seen, any two adjacent sensor elements <NUM>, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d have two parallel edges. As for the case of the two four coil ECSE <NUM>, 2a, the edge 5a (<FIG>) is adjacent and parallel to an edge <NUM> of a triangular shaped coil being part of the four coil ECSE 2a.

Likewise, as can be seen in <FIG>, the two coil ECSE <NUM> is adjacent to another two coil ECSE at the upper right and to still another two coil ECSE at the lower right.

For the case of both types of eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, <NUM>, it can be seen that this element has a parallel edge to the adjacent eddy current sensor element of the same type. In particular, any two adjacent sensor elements of the same type have two parallel edges.

As can be further seen in <FIG>, the eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, <NUM> form an array of columns and rows. In particular, for the four coil ECSE <NUM>, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, the columns and rows extend along the horizontal and the vertical direction given by the arrows <NUM>, <NUM>. For the two coils ECSE, the columns and rows extend along a direction at an angle of +<NUM>° with respect to the arrow <NUM> and along a direction at an angle of -<NUM>° with respect to the arrow <NUM>, respectively (arrows <NUM>, <NUM>).

With further reference to <FIG>, a preferred way of performing the method of operating the eddy current sensor <NUM> may be exemplified as follows:
Starting with the eddy current sensor <NUM> as depicted in <FIG> having the two four coil ECSE <NUM>, 2a adjacent to each other extending along the horizontal direction along the arrow <NUM>, as a first step (b) the left ECSE <NUM> is excited by simultaneously applying a signal to each of the four coils such that current traversing the inner edge of the first coil is antiparallel the current traversing the inner edge of the second coil. As explained above, with reference to <FIG>, the electromagnetic fields at the inner edges 4a, 7b, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6y, 6b, 7a superpose such that the respective resultant electromagnetic field is that of a square-shaped coil having the contour delimited by the edges 4c, 5c, 6c and 7c. In the second step (c) the response of the excited substrate by detecting a change in impedance of the coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the excited eddy current sensor element <NUM> is sensed. Next, the right ECSE 2a is excited as described above with the step (b), and finally the response of the four coils of the right ECSE 2a is sensed, as described above. In effect, the surface area under the ECSE <NUM>, 2a has been subsequently sensed, i. two adjacent portions of the surface area have been scanned in the direction of the arrow <NUM> without a relative movement of the eddy current sensor <NUM> with respect to the surface under study.

Likewise, by subsequently exciting and sensing the ECSE <NUM> and 2c, a scanning of the surface under study with respect to the direction of the arrow <NUM> can be accomplished.

In a similar fashion, starting from the two-coil ECSE <NUM>, a scanning in the direction of the arrows <NUM> and <NUM> can be accomplished, respectively.

In effect, without moving the eddy current sensor <NUM> relative to the surface it is possible to scan the surface in more than three directions independently. This scanning was referred to above as the first mode of operation of the eddy current sensor <NUM>.

Still referring to <FIG>, a preferred way of operating the eddy current sensor <NUM> according a second operating mode may be exemplified as follows:
Starting with the eddy current sensor <NUM> as depicted in <FIG> having two four coil ECSE <NUM>, 2a adjacent to each other extending along the horizontal direction as indicated by the arrow <NUM>, by simultaneously and jointly exciting each of the two eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, 2a by simultaneously applying a signal to each of the first and the second coil of each of the eddy current sensor elements causing the current traversing an outer edge 5a (<FIG>) of the first eddy current sensor element <NUM> to be antiparallel to a current traversing an outer edge <NUM> of a second eddy current sensor element 2a adjacent to the first eddy current sensor element <NUM>. As a result, the simultaneously and jointly excited adjacent eddy current elements <NUM>, 2a have the effect of a single rectangular eddy current sensor <NUM>' extending in direction of the arrow <NUM> twice as long as in the perpendicular direction (arrow <NUM>). Such an effective rectangular sensor is specifically designed for signals having a preferential orientation along or parallel to the horizontal direction of the arrow <NUM>.

Likewise, the first four coil ECSE <NUM> could be simultaneously and jointly excited with the adjacent four coil ECSE 2c to have the effect of a single rectangular eddy current sensor <NUM>" extending along the vertical direction, as given by the arrow <NUM>.

In a similar fashion, more than two eddy current sensor elements extending in one direction could be simultaneously and jointly excited.

Furthermore, starting from the two coil ECSE <NUM>, this eddy current sensor element together with at least one adjacent two coil ECSE can be simultaneously and jointly be excited to sense the surface under study for defects with a preferential orientation along one of the arrows <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively.

In order to perform the operating modes described above, the eddy current sensor <NUM> comprises a control unit <NUM> which is configured to simultaneously apply a signal, in particular an alternating voltage, to the coils of a sub-group of the coils, wherein the sub-group comprises at least one of the eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> is depicted in <FIG> and in <FIG> and has a conductive wire contacting each of the two contacts <NUM>, <NUM> of each of the coils, as illustrated for the coil <NUM> in <FIG>. As a consequence, the control unit <NUM> can addresses each of the <NUM> coils of the eddy current sensor <NUM> individually or may address a specific sub-group of the coils collectively, in order to apply a signal, in particular an alternating voltage, to the selected sub-groups of the coils or the selected coil, respectively.

If the sub-group of the coils corresponds to exactly one of the eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> may be configured to scan the eddy current sensor element <NUM>, <NUM> along the surface under study by subsequently exciting adjacent eddy current sensor elements along one of the directions according to the arrows <NUM>, <NUM><NUM> and <NUM>, i. according to an angle of <NUM>°, <NUM>°, +<NUM>° and -<NUM>°.

If the sub-group of the coils corresponds to two or more of the eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, <NUM>, by simultaneously and jointly applying a signal to two adjacent eddy current sensor elements, an effective sensor <NUM>', <NUM>" can be emulated having a preferred sensitivity to defects in one of the directions <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>.

In any instance, the control unit <NUM> provides adjacent inner edges of the flat coils of the sub-group with currents in antiparallel directions. This was explained in more detail with respect to the <FIG> for the eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, <NUM>. Furthermore, with reference to <FIG>, the effective sensor <NUM>' is constituted by the adjacent eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, 2a. The control unit <NUM> applies a signal to the coils of the eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, 2a such that for each of the current sensor elements <NUM>, 2a, a current in an antiparallel direction is provided. Furthermore, since the parallel edges 5a, <NUM> define an inner edge with respect to the effective sensor <NUM>', at these parallel edges <NUM>, <NUM> currents in an antiparallel or opposite direction are provided. As a consequence, the collective outer edge of the flat coils of the sub-group <NUM>', in particular the outer contour which tightly envelopes both the eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, 2a of the sub-group <NUM>', is provided with an effective current which can be envisaged to traverse in a collective circumferential direction along the outer contour of the sub-group <NUM>'.

The control unit <NUM> is further configured to subsequently apply a signal to a first sub-group and to a second sub-group, wherein the two sub-groups extend along different direction. In particular, the first sub-group may be the sub-group <NUM>' (<FIG>) and the second sub-group may be the sub-group <NUM>", with each of the sub-groups <NUM>', <NUM>" comprising two four coil eddy current sensor elements but extending in perpendicular directions. In particular, the control unit may enable to switch the eddy current sensor <NUM> with respect to a direction-dependent sensitivity.

The control unit <NUM> is further configured to shift the at least one sub-group in at least two direction. If the sub-group is constituted by one single eddy current sensor element <NUM>, <NUM>, this corresponds to the scanning mode operation described above. If the sub-group is constituted by at least two different eddy current sensor elements, e. the effective sensor <NUM>' (<FIG>), this shifting may be accomplished by first simultaneously and jointly exciting the eddy current elements <NUM>, 2a (to gain the effective sensor <NUM>') and then to simultaneously and jointly exciting the eddy current elements 2a, 2b in order to provide a shift to the right, along the horizontal direction of the arrow <NUM>. In a similar fashion, the effective sensor <NUM>' may be shifted along the vertical direction, along the direction of the arrow <NUM>.

Furthermore, the control unit <NUM> is further configured to sense the response of the substrate by detecting a change in impedance of the coils to which the signal has been applied.

The non-destructive testing of a substrate using eddy currents is based on the distribution and circulation of induced currents in an electrically conductive component of the substrate which is studied. The distribution of the induced eddy currents is closely dependent on the profile of the electromagnetic field of excitement.

<FIG> shows in the left part a block of four right-angled isosceles triangle shaped coils which form a square shaped block. This block corresponds to the eddy current sensor element <NUM> that was described above with reference to <FIG>.

Based on the idea that the electromagnetic fields generated by two parallel wires traversed by currents of the same amplitude, but in opposite or antiparallel directions, cancel each other, the four triangular coils of the left part of <FIG> can be excited in such a way that the resulting electromagnetic field is similar to that of a square coil. The fields generated by currents flowing in the diagonal conductor portions are of the same amplitude, but opposite in sign, and hence superpose such as to cancel each other. As a result, the remaining field is that due to the currents flowing in the external conductor portions. This is shown in <FIG>, left part, and was explained in more detail above, with reference to <FIG>. Consequently, as <FIG>, right part shows, the calculated distribution <NUM> of the magnetic potential vector of the eddy current sensor element <NUM> comprising the four triangular-shaped coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is to a reasonable extent equivalent to that of a square-shaped coil having the same contour. The as-described block corresponds to the four coil eddy current sensor element <NUM> as described above with reference to <FIG>. In the following, when referring to a block, a four coil eddy current sensor element <NUM> as described above with reference to <FIG> is meant.

Starting with the right part of <FIG>, a sub-group <NUM> comprising three square-shaped eddy current sensor elements 202a, 202b, 202c (each comprising a group of four triangular coils, as in <FIG> explained with respect to the eddy current sensor element <NUM>) can be simultaneously and jointly excited by the application of a signal to each of the eddy current sensor elements 202a, 202b, 202c of the sub-group <NUM>, to have the effective electromagnetic field of a rectangular coil having the same contour as that of the sub-group <NUM>. As can be seen, by simultaneously and jointly exciting each two adjacent eddy current sensor elements (e. the adjacent eddy current sensor element 202a, 202b) by simultaneously applying a signal, in particular an alternating voltage, to each of four coils of each of the eddy current sensor elements 202a, 202b causes the current traversing an outer (e. right) edge of the first eddy current sensor element 202a to be opposite in direction and antiparallel to a current traversing an outer (for this example: left) edge of the second eddy current sensor element 202b adjacent to the first eddy current sensor element 202a. If the alternating voltages have the same magnitude, the generated electromagnetic fields along the opposing, parallel edges where the two eddy current sensor elements 202a, 202b adjoin will superpose such as to cancel to a large extent. In a similar fashion, at the opposing parallel outer edges where the eddy current sensor element 202b, 202c adjoin, the electromagnetic fields may be caused to cancel each other.

As <FIG> shows, the magnetic potential vector calculated for a single rectangular coil <NUM> (<FIG>, left) is comparable to the magnetic vector potential for the sub-group <NUM> comprising the three eddy current sensor elements 202a, 202b 202c arranged adjacent to each other in a row along the horizontal direction (arrow <NUM>, <FIG>) when the sensor elements 202a, 202b, 202c are simultaneously and jointly excited by the application of a signal, in particular by the application of an alternating voltage (<FIG>, right). As can be seen, the overall electromagnetic field behavior for the two systems (left and right part of <FIG>) is equivalent. As for the case of the multi-element sensor comprising three square-shaped blocks of <FIG> (right), the electromagnetic field shows some irregularities which may be due to discontinuities in the geometry of the inductor and to current singularities in the bends of the triangle-shaped coils of which the square-shaped single-element sensor is composed.

<FIG> shows the calculated electric field magnitudes for a single rectangular coil <NUM>' (<FIG>, upper part) in comparison to a sub-group <NUM>' comprising three eddy current sensor elements (<FIG> lower part). In comparison to <FIG>, the coil <NUM>' as well as the sub-group <NUM>' extends along a direction perpendicular to the direction of the arrow <NUM> indicated in <FIG>. In particular, the coil <NUM>' as well as the subgroup <NUM>' extends a column, i. along the arrow <NUM> (<FIG>).

<FIG> shows the influence of coils adjacent to the sub-group <NUM> (<FIG>) comprising the three square-shaped eddy current sensors elements 202a, 202b, 202c. The calculation of the distribution of the electric field magnitude surrounding the sub-group <NUM> was done by numerically neglecting the contribution of the adjacent, non-excited coils (left part) and by taking into account the effect of the adjacent, non-excited coils (right part). As can be seen, the adjacent, non-excited coils and non-excited eddy current sensor elements, which are to be viewed `at rest' with respect to the excited eddy current sensor element <NUM>, do not have any significant effect on the spatial configuration of the resulting electromagnetic field or on its amplitude, in particular, when the eddy current sensor is operated at an operating frequency of approximately <NUM>.

<FIG> shows four different sub-groups obtained by exciting four different sets of eddy current sensor elements of the eddy current multi-element sensor. The most fundamental unit is the coil <NUM> having the shape of a right-angles isosceles triangle which was described above with respect to <FIG>. An arrangement <NUM> of four such coils <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> forms a square-shaped eddy current sensor element <NUM> (<FIG>).

As can be seen in <FIG>, left upper part, three eddy current sensor elements 202a, 202b, 202c arranged adjacent along a row, when excited simultaneously and jointly, result in a the sub-group <NUM> to be excited wherein the sub-group <NUM> has the effect of a single rectangular multi-element sensor which extends in a horizontal direction (at an angle of <NUM>°, i. parallel to the direction of the arrow <NUM>). Further, a different set of three eddy current sensor elements 202d, 202b, 202e can be excited by jointly and simultaneously applying a signal to each of them, in order to excite a sub-group <NUM>' which is oriented in a vertical direction, i. in a direction along the arrow <NUM>, wherein the sub-group <NUM>' has the effect of a rectangular multi-element sensor which extends in the vertical direction (at an angle of <NUM>° with respect to the arrow <NUM>, <FIG>, left lower part).

Furthermore, as was explained above with respect to <FIG>, two adjacent triangle-shaped coils <NUM>, <NUM> can be simultaneously excited to give a square-shaped eddy current sensor element <NUM>; such an eddy current sensor element <NUM> has an area which is smaller than the area of the eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, 202a, b, c, d, e.

The square-shaped sensor element <NUM> comprising two triangular-shaped coils meeting at the respective parallel hypotenuse-edges is inclined at an angle of +/-<NUM>° with respect to the eddy current sensor elements <NUM>, as can be seen in <FIG>, right column. It can be seen that adjacent two coil eddy current sensor elements 302a, 302b, 302c, 302d are oriented along a first diagonal direction with respect to the vertical and horizontal direction. In particular, the four eddy current sensor elements 302a, 302b, 302c, 302d are arranged at an angle of <NUM>° with respect to the horizontal direction. Furthermore, the two coil eddy current sensor elements 302e, 302f, <NUM>, <NUM> are arranged along another diagonal, at an angle of <NUM>° with respect to the first diagonal and at an angle of -<NUM>° with respect to the horizontal direction.

Furthermore, it is envisaged excite a sub-group <NUM> by to simultaneously and jointly exciting the four two coil eddy current sensor elements 302a,b,c,d which are arranged in a line along the direction of the arrow <NUM>. The excited sub-group <NUM> is inclined at an angle of <NUM>° with respect to the horizontal direction (arrow <NUM>). Additionally, it is envisaged to simultaneously and jointly a sub-group <NUM>' by simultaneously and jointly exciting the four two coil eddy current sensor elements 302e,f,g,h such that the sub-group <NUM>' is inclined at an angle of -<NUM>° with respect to the horizontal direction. Each of the sub-groups <NUM>,<NUM>' corresponds to a rectangular effective sensor inclined at an angle of +-<NUM>° with respect to the horizontal direction.

As is apparent from <FIG>, the triangular shape of the coils <NUM> (<FIG>) allows for a great flexibility on desired shapes of an electromagnetic field. The eddy current sensor elements comprising two or four coils may be so arranged that they can give a large number of possible electromagnetic field configurations such that a mechanical swiveling, rotation or shifting of the sensor can be avoided. Furthermore, the assembly can cover a relative wide inspection area which may reduce the number of scanning operations.

For different modes of excitation, the eddy current sensor <NUM> made up of triangle-shaped coils (<FIG>) can be operated such that sub-groups of the coils, wherein a sub-group comprises at least to adjacent eddy current sensor units, can have the electromagnetic field configuration of a single rectangular coil oriented at <NUM>°, <NUM>°, <NUM>° and -<NUM>° without recurring to mechanical rotation. This property can be exploited and applied to the measurement of a laminate made of plies of CFRP.

The modeled system of the laminate made of the plies of CRFP is a stack of four plies oriented at (<NUM>°, <NUM>°, <NUM>°, -<NUM>°). The physical and geometrical characteristics of the modeled system are given by the following table:.

<FIG> illustrates the calculated distribution of eddy currents induced on a laminate substrate with the above characteristics, by a single rectangular sensor (serving as an inductor) oriented at <NUM>° and its equivalent sub-group <NUM> comprising the three adjoining eddy current sensor elements 202a, b, c (<FIG>, right upper part). The sensor (serving as an inductor) has essentially the same outer contour as the sub-group <NUM>. Such a sensor is depicted in the left part of <FIG> and indicated there with the reference numeral '<NUM>'.

It can be noted that the distribution of the induced eddy currents by the two types of sensor in each ply of the laminate is quite identical. This leads to expect an identical response in terms of impedance. Furthermore, the results presented in <FIG> prove that the proposed multi-element sensor given by the sub-group <NUM> (as depicted in <FIG>, left upper part) may detect the orientation of the plies as well as their order of stacking.

The polar diagram of <FIG> gives the intensity of the measured signal in terms of the rotation angle of the sub-group <NUM> serving as sensor sensing the response of the induced eddy currents as a change in impedance. The four angles of the obtained lobes 300a, b, c, d determine the different fibers orientations whereas their amplitude indicates the position of the ply in the sample under study. The comparison between the amplitudes of the peaks of the lobes 300a,b,c,d shows that they are decreasing according to the stacking order of the plies. However, some mismatch as concerns the number of turns and the dimensions of the coils has to be taken into account when comparing the as-obtained results of <FIG> with similar results taken from the literature (e. It is further noted that there is no significant difference between the peaks at <NUM>° and at <NUM>°; this observation could be explained by the change of sizes of the equivalent rectangular-shaped sub-groups of coils, oriented at <NUM>° and at <NUM>° (see <FIG>): In particular, the sub-group <NUM> (<FIG>, right upper part) has a slightly higher effective measuring area as compared to the sub-group <NUM>' (<FIG>, left lower part).

Referring to <FIG>, the described embodiment of an eddy current sensor can be envisaged to be a rectangular, in particular square shaped array of identical coils. In particular, the described embodiment of the eddy current sensor can be envisaged as a single assembly comprising <NUM> congruent coils, each of which having the shape of a right-angled isosceles triangle such that an angle between one of the sides (sceles) and the hypotenuse (the base) of the triangle is <NUM>°. Since the coils are to be regarded as identical as regards the geometrical as well as to the electrical parameters, in order to determine the best configuration for the optimal functioning of the eddy current sensor, a typical, randomly selected, triangle-shaped coil <NUM> (<FIG>) is characterized and modelled with respect to its geometrical, electrical and physical characteristics.

For a geometrical characterization of the triangular shaped coils, the developed or the total length of the wire Itotal and the total effective surface Stotal are given by the equations <NUM> and <NUM> respectively: <MAT> <MAT> where D is the external rib of the coil, Ip is the line width, Ep is the inter-lines distance and n is the number of turns (<FIG>).

For an electrical characterization of the triangular-shaped coil, reference is made to <FIG> as an electrical model of the coil, in particular as an equivalent circuit diagram of the coil, such that the resistance R, the capacitance C and the inductivity L are given by the equations <NUM> to <NUM> as below: <MAT> <MAT> <MAT>.

Where hp is the height of the line, ρ is its electrical resistivity, ε is the electric permittivity, ω is the angular frequency, Ω is the study domain, µ is the magnetic permeability and B is the magnetic flux density. For a determination of the coil inductance L, a census of the stored magnetic energy (equ. <NUM>) was provided via the FE (finite elements) model developed and described below, with reference to equ. (<NUM>), (<NUM>), below.

For a physical characterization of the coil, the electromagnetic behavior needs to be qualified. As an electromagnetic sensor, acting as an emitter, the emissive ability has to be calculated. If the coil is used as a receiver, it is necessary to determine its sensitivity and its electrical noise signal. The proposed triangular-shaped coil has the versatility to work in emission and reception simultaneously or separately. As a consequence, the eddy current sensor element comprising two or four coils as well as a sub-group formed by exciting at least two adjacent eddy current sensor elements has also the versatility to work in emission and reception simultaneously or separately.

The sensitivity S of a coil at a frequency f is according to Faraday-Lenz's law given by equation <NUM>: <MAT> where dV is the voltage variation provoked by a variation in the received magnetic induction dB.

The noise vb of a coil when it is not carrying current is only a thermal agitation noise. This effective voltage at a temperature T and in a measuring frequency range Δf is given by equation <NUM>: <MAT> (K: Boltzmann constant).

The emissive ability Pe is the ratio between the emitted field 'B' and the current 'I' necessary for its emission, according to equation <NUM>:
<MAT>.

The relationship between the geometrical, electrical and physical characteristics given above allows to study the influence of each parameter and thus to determine the optimum dimensions of a coil appropriate for a specific application.

The following table provides the characteristics of the selected triangular-shaped coil that was used to non-destructively evaluate the CFRP:
<IMG>.

Based on the theoretical model as depicted in the equivalent circuit diagram of <FIG> for a coil in general, <FIG> shows the frequency response of a triangular shaped coil with the parameters of the table given above. It can be seen that the triangular shaped coil can be used as an electromagnetic field sensor up <NUM> where it shows a strong inductive behavior with a phase upper to <NUM>°. The cut off frequency is much greater than <NUM>.

After the construction of the geometry of the triangular shaped coil and a mesh generation for model the sensor array using the open-source software GMSH, the data were sent to a 3D finite element solver in which were implemented the magneto-dynamics formulation AV-A (equ. <NUM>, below, retained as a governing equation), this mathematical model was retained to describe the electromagnetic behavior of the array of the triangular shaped sensor coils. The calculations were carried out in the harmonic regime. A penalty term was introduced to ensure the uniqueness of the solution (<NPL>).

A and V are respectively the magnetic vector potential and electric scalar potential, µ is the magnetic permeability and σ is the electrical conductivity tensor given according to the ply orientation by Menana (<NUM>), equation <NUM>: <MAT> where σII is the electrical conductivity in the fibres direction, σJ is the conductivity in the transverse direction of the fibres and σzz is the conductivity in the direction of the plies stacking. The tensor according to equ. (<NUM>) represents the anisotropy character of the laminate CFRP model system.

Claim 1:
Eddy current sensor for non-destructive testing of a substrate, comprising
a control unit (<NUM>); and
a plurality of eddy current sensor elements (<NUM>, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d),
with each eddy current sensor elements (<NUM>, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) comprising an assembly of at least a first (<NUM>) and a second flat coil (<NUM>), wherein the first flat coil (<NUM>) and the second flat coil (<NUM>) each have a triangular shape with a first to third coil edge (4a, 4b, 4c, 14a, 14b, 14c), wherein one of the edges (4b; 4c) of the first flat coil (<NUM>) and one of the edges ( 14c) of the second flat coil (<NUM>) are arranged adjacent and parallel to each other, and wherein the assembly has a square shape, wherein
the eddy current sensor elements (<NUM>, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) are arranged in a quadrangular order, adjacent and parallel to each other, such that any two adjacent eddy current sensor elements (<NUM>, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) have two parallel edges,
characterized in that the control unit (<NUM>)
is configured to simultaneously and jointly apply a first signal to the coils of a first sub-group, wherein the first sub group comprises at least two adjacent elements of the plurality of eddy current sensor elements (<NUM>, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d),
wherein the control unit (<NUM>) is further configured to shift the sub-group in at least two directions (<NUM>, <NUM>) by applying a second signal to a second sub-group of the coils, wherein the second sub-group comprises at least two adjacent elements of the plurality of eddy current sensor elements (<NUM>, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) with at least one of the eddy current sensor elements (2a, 2c) of the second sub-group (2a,2b; 2c, 2d) also forming part of the first sub-group (<NUM>, 2a; <NUM>, 2c);
the first and the second signals being such that adjacent inner edges of the flat coils of each sub-group are provided with currents in anti-parallel directions and such that the collective outer edge of the flat coils of each sub group is provided with a current in a collective circumferential direction,
the control unit (<NUM>) being further configured to sense the response of the substrate (<NUM>) by detecting a change in impedance of the coils to which the signal has been applied.