New Multilayer Thin-Film Sensors Enable Fast, Efficient Monitoring of Aircraft Defects

PhysOrg.com, accessed 22 Aug 2006 As aircraft reach or exceed their design lifetimes, the U.S. Air Force is turning to advanced nondestructive evaluation methods to determine their fitness for continued duty. Southwest Research Institute has developed a flexible thin-film deposition process (as a follow-on effort to a recent project funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) that will enable the fabrication of thin magnetostrictive sensors that can efficiently detect and monitor defects in aircraft without the need for costly teardowns or unnecessary inspections. Read more