Compton Backscattered Focusing X-Ray Corrosion Detection System

To address this Air Force need for non-destructive inspection and subsurface corrosion detection in deep, multilayered, tapered-thickness, and potentially dissimilar metallic structures, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new unique, affordable, portable, low-cost, non-scanning Compton backscattered focusing X-ray Corrosion Detection system (XCD). The proposed device is based on the use of POC’s innovative Lobster Eye X-ray focusing lens and registration of X-ray Compton backscattered photons to provide one-side in situ corrosion detection of multilayered metallic structures. The XCD includes a portable X-ray source, Lobster Eye lens, and an X-ray CCD camera, with a portable computer providing X-ray image processing integrated in the compact handheld housing. The XCD system will provide resolution better then 1 mm^2 with the Lobster-Eye lens for corrosion detection in deep layers, with a full effective thickness of 2-5 cm for aluminum and titanium alloys, and about 1 cm for steels. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the XCD system by using its prototype for corrosion detection of multilayered (4-5) aluminum alloys. In Phase II POC will design, fabricate, and test a prototype of the commercial variant of the XCD system, integrated with built-in computer system.