Patent ID: 7501816

Claim:
A flaw detection apparatus, comprising: a first coil for producing an alternating-current magnetic field for flowing eddy currents in a magnetic material as a member to be flaw-detected; a first magneto-optical element disposed in a neighborhood of the first coil and having an end face provided with a reflective film; an incidence optical fiber for entering light from a light source into the first magneto-optical element toward the reflective film; an exit optical fiber for entering reflected light reflected by the reflective film into an analyzer; a photoelectric conversion element for converting output light of the analyzer into an electrical signal; and computing means for processing an output signal of the photoelectric conversion element and detecting a flaw of the member to be flaw-detected, based on a rotation angle of a plane of polarization of the reflected light; wherein the first magneto-optical element is directly affixed to an end face of the incidence optical fiber and an end face of the exit optical fiber.