Nondestructive testing using nonlinear optically based smart-pixel processors

Summary form only given. There is an on-going need in the commercial sector to rapidly and nondestructively inspect components, in situ and in situ, under harsh in-factory and field-testing conditions. To motivate this need, we cite below three such examples in rather diverse industrial applications. This will be followed by how optics and, more specifically, how so-called “smart-pixel processors”, can augment existing inspection systems-all with the goal of enhancing the performance of the diagnostic. By smart-pixel processors, we imply that multi-pixelated information can be processed in parallel, with differential phase information preserved amongst the pixels. Typically, such processors can be realized via architectures involving phase-conjugate mirrors, either isolated, or in conjunction with spatial light modulators. These systems can, hopefully, lead to more robust and flexible manufacturing diagnostics, resulting in video frame-rate, automated inspection capabilities, with the potential for closed-loop control of the manufacturing process