Abstract:
An apparatus for measuring photoelasticity permitting to control mechanical stress applied to an elastic body, by visualizing phase differences of polarized light transmitted by the elastic body is disclosed. In such a prior art apparatus a quarter wavelength plate was used in order to obtain circularly polarized light. However, the precision of the circularly polarized light is worsened, when it works in a wide wavelength region. To the contrary, in an apparatus according to this invention, circularly polarized light is obtained by means of Fresnel's rhombic body. As the result good circularly polarized light can be obtained for a wide wavelength region from the visible region to the near infrared region and control of products including thin films and semiconductor substrates can be effected by visualizing mechanical stress therein.
Abstract:
An apparatus has been developed to experimentally determine the state and amount of birefringence in an arbitrary plane within a birefringent body using an entirely new method. Such information can be used to determine the optical anisotropy in solid and liquid bodies, residual and induced stress fields, etc. This apparatus uses a collimated and polarized light beam which scans linearly the plane of measurement within a transparent birefringent or photoelastic object, and a device which collects particular sheets of light scattered along the path of the light beam, the intensity of which is directly related to the state of birefringence at each scattering point at the plane of measurement within the birefringent body. An imaging device produces in the image plane of the apparatus the lines of constant light intensities which are the lines of constant values of accumulated birefringence. For plane stress states in engineering objects such lines are identical with the elastic isodynes and are therefore called photoelastic isodynes. Two independent fields of such isodynes allow the direct determination of all three stress components of the plane stress state and give an additional relation between the strees components. This is the only experimental method which supplies directly four or more independent data on the stress state at each point within the photoelastic object.
Abstract:
A system that provides temperature compensation in an optical transducer that uses a prism for the purpose of determining a load applied thereto and which may be used to find the weight of an object. When material such as plastic, glass, crystal and the like experiences a change in temperature, its index of refraction changes. By combining prisms, compensation may be made for the change of temperature.
Abstract:
Photoelastic sensing means, and more particularly photoelastic sensing means capable of providing high sensitivity for measuring pressure, force, displacement, acceleration or inertial force, proximity, temperature and other measurands. The photoelastic sensing means comprises a thin photoelastic member of transparent material having closely spaced top and bottom outer surfaces with peripheral edges and an edge surface extending between the peripheral edges of the other surfaces. Light flux is provided to the edge surface of the member at a first region for transmission by the member along a path to a second region at the edge surface where it is received and detected. The spacing between the top and bottom outer surfaces of the member is relatively small compared to the length of the path of the light flux in the member. The member is supported to produce bending stresses in the member in a direction transverse to the path of the light flux in the member with the application of force to the member. An output signal is provided responsive to the force which produces the stress in the member.
Abstract:
The filter comprises a multiplicity of light polarizing elements which polarize light in a plurality of planes, and a multiplicity of filtering means associated with the light polarizing elements. In a polariscope, light is directed from a source through such a filter to the specimen to be analyzed. Light passed through the specimen once or twice is coupled through another such filter termed an analyzer. In certain embodiments, the polarizer and the analyzer are combined. Patterns representing the stress in the specimen are produced. The pattern includes isochromatics and a number of isoclinics.
Abstract:
An automatic two wavelength photoelasticimeter comprising, in succession, a light source for emitting light having at least two wavelengths, .lambda..sub.1 and .lambda..sub.2 ; a polarizer rotating at constant speed, an orientable quarter-wave plate of orientation .beta. with respect to a reference axis; a model to be analyzed exhibiting double-refraction and having a fast axis which forms an angle .theta. with respect to the reference axis and which provides a phase shift .phi. (which parameters .theta. and .phi. are to be measured) and three photodetectors 5, 6, and 7 preceded by analyzers 10, 11 and 12 respectively. The photodetectors 6 and 7 are preceded by filters 8 and 9 of wavelengths .lambda..sub.1 and .lambda..sub.2 respectively. The difference between the phases of the signals of the frequency 2.omega. at the outputs of the photodetectors 6 and 7 supplies the difference between the phase shifts contributed by the model from these two wavelengths, the quarter-wave plate being oriented along the bisectors of the axes of double refraction of the model at the point in question. The apparatus is applicable to photoelasticimetry on strongly photoelastic materials and materiasl under high stress.
Abstract:
A sensitive element of a piezooptic measuring converter having an insert of a piezooptic material arranged between a foot and a base and rigidly attached thereto by means of their end portions constructed as a plurality of pins, which makes it possible to reduce thermal stresses in the insert more than 20-fold and thus reduce the temperature error of the piezooptic converter produced by these stresses.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus are described for indicating or measuring contact pressure distribution over a surface, in which method and apparatus, a pressure-transmitting member having a plurality of point-contact projections is used to transmit the contact pressure, in the form of a plurality of localized points, to a photoelastic member. The photoelastic member is one whose optical properties are changed when the member is subjected to pressure, and the changes in optical properties are optically displayed by directing polarized light onto the photoelastic member to produce interference patterns at the localized points of contact pressure.
Abstract:
A piezo-optic measuring transducer is disclosed herein and an accelerometer, a pressure gauge, a dynamometer, and a thermometer based thereon.The piezo-optic measuring transducer comprises two polarization-optical channels. Each of these channels includes the following components arranged in series downstream the luminous flux produced by a light source: a polarizer, an elastic element which is common to both channels and sensitive to stress variations therein caused by a variation in the measurand, an analyzer, and a photocell. Both channels are provided with a means for varying the intensity of the luminous flux incident upon one of the photocells which intensity variation is opposite in polarity to that in the luminous flux incident upon the other photocell. Both photocells are arranged in a differential relationship with the difference in the electrical signals produced thereby being representative of the measurand. An accelerometer, a pressure gauge, a dynamometer, and a thermometer can be provided on the basis of said transducer.