Time-resolved infrared radiometry with step heating. A review

In contrast to most infrared radiometry techniques used for nondestructive evaluation which follow the sample cooling after pulsed heating, the technique termed time-resolved infrared radiometry with step heating (TRIR) follows the surface temperature rise as a function of time during the heating pulse. This approach allows identification of subsurface features and determination of thermal properties with the same speed as other thermal techniques, but keeps the required heating power and resulting surface temperature small. This permits the use of heat sources such as microwaves and RF induction heating where high peak power is often not available. One of the most attractive features of the TRIR method is the ability to calibrate the temperature response early, when the sample is thermally-thick. This allows correction for inhomogeneous heat source distributions and differentiation between backing materials. A fast algorithm has been developed to calculate thermal transit times and therefore generate quantitative depth images of subsurface features. This paper will describe the TRIR approach and the analysis of its time response, including the calibration at early times. Examples will be described for laser heating on zirconia coatings, corroded aluminum, and graphite composites, and the use of microwaves and RF induction heating as heating sources.