Optimization of Electromagnetic Transducer Systems,

Electromagnetic transducers for generating and detecting ultrasonic waves offer a number of attractive features in nondestructive testing, including contactless and reproducible operation, broad bandwidth for bulk wave generation, and ability to excite selected modes such as shear waves at normal incidence to a part surface. They do, however, suffer from one major disadvantage in that the transduction efficiency is quite low. The present two-year program is designed to first improve the dynamic range by optimizing the design of the transducers in conjunction with associated electronic signal processing circuitry and then to demonstrate the utility of the improved transducers in selected problem areas of concern to the DoD.