Detection of micro-cracks on metal surfaces using near-field microwave dual-behavior resonator filters

This paper demonstrates how micro-cracks at the surface of metals can be detected and imaged by near-field microwave techniques from the crack-induced variations of the resonance frequency and of the resonant circuit quality factor. It deals with two resonant sensors: a quarter wavelength microstrip line resonator terminated by an electric dipole and an original dual-behavior resonator (DBR) band-pass filter probe. The detection principle is developed, at first, from the use of the electric dipole probe. The low sensitivity of the electric dipole resonator led us to investigate whether first-order band-pass filters based on dual behavior resonators were able to detect a 200 µm wide and 3 mm deep rectangular EDM notch at the surface of a steel plate used to validate our method. Simulation data and measurements results carried out on a stainless steel mock-up with several 200 µm wide EDM rectangular notches showed that the DBR sensor is more sensitive than the electric dipole probe, and highlighted the link between the spatial resolution and the width of the high-frequency stub of the DBR filter. Moreover, we demonstrate the notch detection for any orientation of the defect in relation to the DBR sensor and the ability to differentiate between notches of different depths. Simulation data and measurement results are presented and discussed.