Lock-in Thermography Method Research Articles

Depth and angle evaluations of oblique linear cracks in metal using multi-speed laser lock-in thermography method

Cracks can develop obliquely to the metal surface. The multi-speed laser lock-in thermography method is suited for the contactless estimation of open crack angles and depths in metal with oblique linear cracks. A continuous laser source regularly scans the studied sample leading to a periodical heating. The heat diffusion disturbances induced by a crack located in the thermal diffusion area are measured synchronously with the repeated continuous laser scan passes. The thermal signature of the crack is extracted from the amplitude of surface temperature images for various scanning speeds of the thermal source. The asymmetry of the thermal signatures obtained on each side of the crack is analysed as a function of a length relying on the thermal diffusion length. The local crack depth and crack angle are evaluated simultaneously. The method, explained with 3D simulations, is experimentally implemented and tested with calibrated oblique linear cracks. The results demonstrate the potentiality of multi-speed laser lock-in thermography method as a contactless measurement tool for the evaluation of oblique crack shapes up to 3.5 mm depth.

Mobile ions entering the IGBT gate oxide - electrical detection and failure localization by lock-in thermography

Small mobile ions, especially sodium and potassium are known to have the ability to infiltrate and move within gate oxide layers of silicon MOS devices. The ion transport in silicon oxide is either a temperature-driven, isotropic diffusion process, or an electrical ion current in presence of an electric field. Therefore, the high temperature gate bias test with negative polarity provides ideal conditions to identify the presence of mobile ions in the gate oxide of IGBT and MOSFET. Mobile ions in sufficient concentration can severely affect the electric characteristics, such as the turn-on and turn-off behavior of the MOS channel, by creating a shift in the gate threshold voltage or excessive sub-threshold currents. This paper shows several examples of how mobile ions can get into the gate oxide, e.g., via cracks in top side metallization, or by corrosive attack of cap layers. All these different failure modes develop the same electrical failure signature after temperature and/or gate bias stress. During the investigations on mobile ions, a special lock-in thermography method was developed that allows to localize the defect sites in the semiconductor by taking advantage of exclusive excitation of MOS cells affected by mobile ion contamination. Finally, after defect localization, further analytical methods can be applied to identify the exact nature of the access path to the gate oxide. Based on the test and analytical routine described above, a special test method was developed that allows to evaluate the permeability of the semiconductor chip top side structures towards mobile ions and to check for weak spots and potential leakage paths.

Identification of invisible fatigue damage of thermosetting epoxy resin by non-destructive thermal measurement using entropy generation

To quantify carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) fatigue, herein, we investigate the relationship between fatigue and an epoxy resin used in CFRPs. Generally, fatigue is related to the entropy, which comprises the mechanical entropy, calculated from the dissipated energy and temperature, and thermal entropy, calculated from the relationship between specific heat capacity and temperature. According to previous studies, mechanical entropy generation and thermal entropy generation are equal. Herein, 100 cyclic loading tests are conducted on epoxy resin specimens consisting of 4,4’-DDS and bisphenol a diglycidyl ether. The dissipated energy is determined based on stress – strain curves, and mechanical entropy generation is quantified. An equation for the relationship between the specific heat capacity and temperature is developed based on the Debye model, and the increase in specific heat capacity is calculated for equal mechanical and thermal entropy generations. Generally, differential scanning calorimetry is used for specific heat capacity measurements; however, because these measurements are performed by cutting the specimen, a nondestructive measurement method is required. In this study, the specific heat capacity is measured using lock-in thermography (LIT), and the measured and estimated values are comparable. Thus, fatigue can be estimated by quantifying the thermophysical properties, and the lock-in thermography method is a suitable thermophysical property measurement method for this application.

Investigation of the Mechanical Properties of Spur Involute Gearing by Infrared Thermography

The work aims at validating a methodology for 3D printing of gears with involute gearing and evaluating their mechanical properties using infrared camera. A general methodology for the setup of 3D printing of gears made of polymeric materials has been developed, which can be used in technical practice in order to replace parts produced by conventional methods. An experiment was prepared determination of the distribution of the 1st invariant of the stress tensor and phase shift using a modal exciter and an IR camera. The values of the 1st invariant of the stress invariant were found. For these measurements, the lock-in thermography method was used, using a modal exciter we force loaded a gear in which the response to the load was registered. The aim was to obtain the distribution of the strain or stress field on the loaded tooth. The experimental method used also belongs to the field of non-destructive testing (NDT), and with suitable experimental parameters we can also obtain information from the layers below the surface, as demonstrated in the phase images. The practical benefit is to provide a competitive advantage to companies that will exploit the properties of polymeric materials by knowing the mechanical properties of these materials.

Measurement of Microscopic Thermal Diffusivity Distribution for Ryugu Sample by Infrared Lock-in Periodic Heating Method

The thermophysical properties of small Solar System bodies are essential to be determined, on which the thermal evolution of small bodies largely depends. The carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu is one of the small undifferentiated bodies formed in the early Solar System. Hayabusa2 explored the asteroid Ryugu and returned the surface samples in 2020 for detailed on-ground investigation, including measurements of thermal properties. Because the available sample amount was limited, this study developed a novel method to measure the thermal diffusivity of small and irregularly shaped samples of about 1 mm in diameter by combining lock-in thermography and periodic heating methods on the microscale. This method enables us to measure the thermal diffusivity of both flat-plate and granular shape samples by selecting the suitable detecting direction of the temperature response. Especially, when the sample has a flat-plate shape, the anisotropic distribution of the in-plane thermal diffusivity can be evaluated. This method was applied to six Ryugu samples, and the detailed anisotropic distribution of the thermal diffusivity was obtained. The measurement results showed that the samples show local thermal anisotropy caused by cracks and voids. The average thermal diffusivity among all samples was (2.8 to 5.8) × 10−7 m2·s. Based on the density and specific heat of the samples obtained independently, the thermal effusivity was estimated to be 791 J·(s1/2·m2·K) to 1253 J·(s1/2·m2·K), which is defined as the resistance of surface temperature to the change of thermal input. The determined thermal effusivity, often called thermal inertia in planetary science, is larger than the observed value of 225 ± 45 J· (s1/2·m2·K) of the asteroid Ryugu's surface, obtained from the diurnal temperature change of the rotating asteroid by a thermal infrared camera onboard Hayabuas2. This difference is likely to be attributed to the difference in the analytical scale between the sample and the surface boulders compared with the thermal diffusion length. Consequently, it was found that the present result is more representative of the thermal diffusivity and thermal inertia of local part of individual Ryugu particles.

Spin Peltier effect and its length scale in Pt/YIG system at high temperatures

The temperature and yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG) thickness dependences of the spin Peltier effect (SPE) have been investigated using a Pt/YIG junction system at temperatures ranging from room temperature to the Curie temperature of YIG by the lock-in thermography method. By analyzing the YIG thickness dependence using an exponential decay model, the characteristic length of SPE in YIG is estimated to be 0.9 μm near room temperature and almost constant even near the Curie temperature. The high-temperature behavior of SPE is clearly different from that of the spin Seebeck effect, providing a clue for microscopically understanding the reciprocal relation between them.

Depth Evaluation of Curvilinear Cracks in Metal Using Multi-speed Laser Lock-in Thermography Method

Depth Evaluation of Curvilinear Cracks in Metal Using Multi-speed Laser Lock-in Thermography Method

Non-destructive imaging of ancient marquetries using active thermography and photothermal coherence tomography

Active thermography has proven successful for non-destructive evaluation of art objects. The aim of this work was to detect the defects of a genuine ancient marquetry sample with both enhanced truncated correlation photothermal coherence tomography (eTC-PCT) and the well-known lock-in thermography (LIT) and compare the two modalities. Quantitative analysis of eTC-PCT images for depth measurements was also performed. Both methods revealed worn-off and glue starved areas, cracks and detachments in the sample, all of which are common defects of these types of art objects. In comparison, the eTC-PCT method was proven to be able to provide 3D images of the interrogated sample and more information about deep sub-surface defects with better contrast than LIT. Moreover, the eTC-PCT results of the marquetry sample containing natural defects were analyzed to determine the location of defects, a task that is not possible with LIT. The experiments showed that both methods are safe for non-destructive evaluation of art samples with temperature rise of less than 0.8 °C using eTC-PCT, and less than 1.5 °C using the LIT method.

Experimental failure analysis and mechanical performance evaluation of fiber-metal sandwich laminates interleaved with polyamide-6,6 interlayers through the combined usage of acoustic emission, thermography and microscopy techniques

Fiber-metal laminates are hybrid sandwich composite structures made of thin metallic sheets and layers of fiber-reinforced plastics. In this study, for the first time, the effects of polyamide 66 nonwoven interlayers on the tensile, three-point bending, interlaminar shear strength, and low velocity impact responses of fiber-metal laminates are investigated by coupling acoustic emission, thermography, and microscopy techniques. The fiber-metal laminates are interleaved with polyamide 66 nonwoven fabrics at two different areal weight density, namely, 17 gsm (grams per square meter) and 50 gsm. The tensile, bending, interlaminar shear strength, and low velocity impact tests are carried out in accordance with the ASTM standards. During the tensile and flexural tests, acoustic emission data are collected to understand damage types occurring under various loading conditions and, in turn, clearly shed light on the performance of polyamide 66 for interfacial strengthening in fiber-metal laminates. The results of acoustic emission investigation are correlated with the optical and scanning electron microscope-based microscopic analysis. It is shown that the interlaminar shear strength of fiber-metal laminates can be increased significantly (about 42%) by using polyamide 66 nonwoven interlayers. The impacted fiber-metal laminate specimens are examined to determine damage area and length using the lock-in thermography method. It is found that the polyamide 66 interlayers decrease the debonded length and damaged area up to 39 and 32%, respectively. The tensile and flexural strength and modulus of the fiber-metal laminate are not significantly affected by the presence of polyamide 66 interlayers, except a negligible drop in the value of tensile and flexural strength by 6 and 4%, respectively. The polyamide 66 interlayers are proved to be very successful in enhancing plastic deformation ability of the matrix and bonding efficiency between aluminum and composite sections.

Absorptance measurement on Nb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> coating with lock-in thermography method

利用锁相热像方法定量测量了光学镀膜的吸收率。待测薄膜吸收周期调制的激光能量，在表面形成热波，将红外相机记录的热分布信号进行锁相相关处理，获得信噪比提高的热图像。采用标准吸收样品对系统进行定标，可获得光热信号幅度与样品吸收率之间的定量联系，进而在相同实验条件下测量待测样品，可通过光热信号直接计算获得其绝对吸收率。在1 060 nm波长处开展了实验研究，测量获得了不同厚度Nb₂O₅镀膜的吸收率数值，实测的吸收可达80 ppm。

Comparison between multi-frequency and multi-speed laser lock-in thermography methods for the evaluation of crack depths in metal

ABSTRACT Two original methods using lock-in thermography with a laser excitation are proposed for the estimation without contact of open crack depths in metal. The first uses a modulated punctual thermal source and is well suited for the study of complicated structures. In the second, a continuous moving thermal source allows to scan homogeneous structures. Each method relies on the heat diffusion modifications induced by a crack located in the thermal diffusion area of the synchronised heat source. The thermal signature of the crack is extracted to the amplitude of surface temperature images for various modulation frequencies or various scanning speeds of the thermal source. The thermal signatures are analysed according to a length representative of the thermal diffusion length to give a local evaluation of the crack depth. The obtained results demonstrate the potentiality of active lock-in thermography as a contactless measurement tool for the evaluation of crack depths up to 3 mm.

Systematic Investigation of Anisotropic Magneto–Peltier Effect and Anomalous Ettingshausen Effect in Ni Thin Films

The anisotropic magneto-Peltier effect (AMPE) and anomalous Ettingshausen effect (AEE) have been investigated in U-shaped Ni thin films of varying thickness and substrate by means of the lock-in thermography (LIT) method. We have established a procedure to extract pure AMPE and AEE contributions, separated from other thermoelectric effects, for ferromagnetic thin films. The measurements of the magnetic-field-angle $\theta_{\rm H}$ dependence of the LIT images clearly show that the temperature modulation induced by the AMPE (AEE) in the Ni films varies with the $\cos 2\theta_{\rm H}$ ($\cos \theta_{\rm H}$) pattern, confirming the symmetry of the AMPE (AEE). The systematic LIT measurements using various substrates show that the AMPE-induced temperature modulation decreases with the increase in thermal conductivity of the substrates, whereas the AEE-induced temperature modulation is almost independent of the thermal conductivity, indicating that the heat loss into the substrates plays an important role in determining the magnitude of the AMPE-induced temperature modulation in thin films. Our experimental results were reproduced by numerical calculations based on a two-dimensional finite element method. These findings provide a platform for investigating the AMPE and AEE in thin film devices.

Non-destructive imaging of defects in Ag-sinter die attach layers – A comparative study including X-ray, Scanning Acoustic Microscopy and Thermography

In typical power electronic modules several semiconductor dies such as MOSFET or IGBT are soldered to a DBC substrate. During module production the quality of the solder layers can be monitored by the use of X-ray inspection and the void rate can be determined. Recently, the more robust Ag-sinter technology is deployed for attaching the power dies to the substrate, especially for high reliability or high temperature requirements. Besides voiding also adhesion problems can occur during sintering due to multiple reasons (e.g. contamination). In contrast to volume defects, pure adhesion problems cannot be detected by means of X-rays. Accordingly, other methods have to be applied for process monitoring. The present investigation compares the advantages and disadvantages of different non-destructive imaging techniques towards the detection of defects in sinter layers. Besides X-ray, Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (SAM) and Lock-in Thermography methods (DLIT + ILIT) were studied and evaluated in terms of suitability for detecting different defect types, resolution (minimum defect sizes), inspection time and possible integration into the assembly process.

Study on the Detection of CFRP Material with Subsurface Defects Using Barker-Coded Thermal Wave Imaging (BC-TWI) as a Nondestructive Inspection (NDI) Tool

In this paper, a Barker-coded thermal wave imaging approach is reported on the detection of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminate with subsurface defects, using an integrated Barker code sequence and sinusoidal carrier-modulated laser as the excitation source. Artificial flat bottom holes as subsurface defects are prepared for the experimental investigation. Cross-correlation (CC) algorithm is applied for extracting characteristics of thermal wave signal and forming the corresponding peak delay time and phase images. The effects of Barker code sequence length and carrier-modulated frequency are investigated, which are both most important factors on the detectability of BC-TWI method. The results of the experiments show 5-bit Barker code and 0.1 Hz carrier frequency are the most suitable selection for enhancing inspection capability and obtaining the highest image SNR for a given CFRP laminate material. Furthermore, a comparative experiment is carried out between BC-TWI and lock-in thermography (LIT) method by taking the defect contrast and SNR into account. The results indicate that the BC-TWI CC phase image has higher contrast and SNR than the LIT phase image.

Lock-in thermography measurements of the spin Peltier effect in a compensated ferrimagnet and its comparison to the spin Seebeck effect

The spin Peltier effect (SPE) in a junction comprising a gadolinium-iron-garnet (GdIG) slab and a Pt film has been investigated around the magnetization compensation temperature of GdIG by means of the lock-in thermography method. When a charge current is applied to the Pt layer, a spin current is generated across the Pt/GdIG interface via the spin Hall effect in Pt. This spin current induces a heat current and a measurable temperature change near the Pt/GdIG interface due to the SPE. The SPE signal in the Pt/GdIG junction shows a sign change around the magnetization compensation temperature, demonstrating the similar temperature dependence of the SPE and the spin Seebeck effect for the Pt/GdIG hybrid system.

High-throughput direct measurement of magnetocaloric effect based on lock-in thermography technique

We demonstrate a high-throughput direct measurement method for the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) by means of a lock-in thermography (LIT) technique. This method enables systematic measurements of the magnetic-field and operation-frequency dependences of the temperature change induced by the MCE. This is accomplished in a shorter time compared to conventional adiabatic temperature measurement methods. The direct measurement based on LIT is free from any possible miscalculations and errors arising from indirect measurements using thermodynamic relations. Importantly, the LIT technique makes simultaneous MCE measurements of multiple materials possible without increasing the measurement time, realizing high-throughput investigations of the MCE. By applying this method to Gd, we obtain the MCE-induced temperature change of 1.84 ± 0.11 K under a modulation field of 1.0 T and modulation frequency of 0.5 Hz at a temperature of 300.5 ± 0.5 K, offering evidence that the LIT method gives quantitative results.

Thermographic measurements of the spin Peltier effect in metal/yttrium-iron-garnet junction systems

The spin Peltier effect (SPE), heat-current generation due to spin-current injection, in various metal (Pt, W, and Au single layers and Pt/Cu bilayer)/ferrimagnetic insulator (yttrium iron garnet: YIG) junction systems has been investigated by means of a lock-in thermography (LIT) method. The SPE is excited by a spin current across the metal/YIG interface, which is generated by applying a charge current to the metallic layer via the spin Hall effect. The LIT method enables the thermal imaging of the SPE free from the Joule-heating contribution. Importantly, we observed spin-current-induced temperature modulation not only in the Pt/YIG and W/YIG systems but also in the Au/YIG and Pt/Cu/YIG systems, excluding the possible contamination by anomalous Ettingshausen effects due to proximity-induced ferromagnetism near the metal/YIG interface. As demonstrated in our previous study, the SPE signals are confined only in the vicinity of the metal/YIG interface; we buttress this conclusion by reducing a spatial blur due to thermal diffusion in an infrared emission layer on the sample surface used for the LIT measurements. We also found that the YIG-thickness dependence of the SPE is similar to that of the spin Seebeck effect measured in the same Pt/YIG sample, implying the reciprocal relation between them.

A new measurement method of coatings thickness based on lock-in thermography

Coatings have been widely used in modern industry and it plays an important role. Coatings thickness is directly related to the performance of the functional coatings, therefore, rapid and accurate coatings thickness inspection has great significance. Existing coatings thickness measurement method is difficult to achieve fast and accurate on-site non-destructive coatings inspection due to cost, accuracy, destruction during inspection and other reasons. This paper starts from the introduction of the principle of lock-in thermography, and then performs an in-depth study on the application of lock-in thermography in coatings inspection through numerical modeling and analysis. The numerical analysis helps explore the relationship between coatings thickness and phase, and the relationship lays the foundation for accurate calculation of coatings thickness. The author sets up a lock-in thermography inspection system and uses thermal barrier coatings specimens to conduct an experiment. The specimen coatings thickness is measured and calibrated to verify the quantitative inspection. Experiment results show that the lock-in thermography method can perform fast coatings inspection and the inspection accuracy is about 95%. Therefore, the method can meet the field testing requirements for engineering projects.

Assessment of the effect of defects on mechanical properties of adhesive bonded joints by using non destructive methods

Mechanical performance of the adhesive joints depends on many parameters including width, depth and continuity of the adhesive layer applied. In this work, lock-in thermography and ultrasound methods were used to detect the dimension of defects of adhesive joints while tensile tests were carried out to assess their strength and stiffness. Both the effect of bond defects and the possibility to use non destructive method for the prediction of strength and stiffness of joints have been discussed considering a statistical analysis of data. Models, useful for predicting mechanical behavior of joints on the basis of their defects, have been developed.

A Review of Failure Analysis Methods for Advanced 3D Microelectronic Packages

Advanced three dimensional (3D) packaging is a key enabler in driving form factor reduction, performance benefits, and package cost reduction, especially in the fast paced mobility and ultraportable consumer electronics segments. The high level of functional integration and the complex package architecture pose a significant challenge for conventional fault isolation (FI) and failure analysis (FA) methods. Innovative FI/FA tools and techniques are required to tackle the technical and throughput challenges. In this paper, the applications of FI and FA techniques such as Electro Optic Terahertz Pulse Reflectometry, 3D x-ray computed tomography, lock-in thermography, and novel physical sample preparation methods to 3D packages with package on package and stacked die with through silicon via configurations are reviewed, along with the key FI and FA challenges.