Non-Contract, Non-destructive Adhesion-Measuring Device

Since substrate-adhered films are mechanical waveguide structures, their adhesive properties are extremely sensitive to mechanical boundary conditions. With this idea in mind, Impulse Systems and Services proposes an all-optical adhesion-measuring device for determining a film's adhesion in real-time and with high resolution. The device will be developed around a non-contact, non-destructive measuring techniques called Impulsive Stimulated Thermal Scattering (ISTS). The adhesion-measuring device employing ISTS will allow single-point adhesion measurements or generation of two-dimensional "delamination maps." In addition, the device will be compact (i.e., capable of being fit inside a briefcase) and fully automated, allowing for facile integration into, e.g., microelectronics fabrication facilities.