Characterization of CFRP Thermal Degradation by the Polarization-Frequency Reflectometry Method in Subterahertz Frequency Range

• Published in: IEEE transactions on terahertz science and technology 2016-01, Vol.6 (1), p.91-98
• Main Authors: Nesterov, Pavel K., Yachin, Vladimir V., Zinenko, Tatiana L., Kuleshov, Yevgeny M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beams (radiation); Carbon fiber reinforced plastics; Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP); Contamination; Degradation; Frequency ranges; hollow dielectric waveguide; Mirrors; non-destructive testing; Permittivity; Plane waves; Plastics; polarization-frequency reflectometry (PFR); Pollution measurement; quasi-optics; Reflection coefficient; Reflectometry; subterahertz (sub-THz) range; Thermal degradation; Transmission line measurements
• ISSN: 2156-342X; 2156-3446
• DOI: 10.1109/TTHZ.2015.2503880

We investigate the carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) thermal degradation using the polarization-frequency reflectometry (PFR) method in subterahertz frequency range. The setup that realizes the PFR method is developed and includes the sample scanning by a quasi-optical wave beam with various polarizations and frequencies. The CFRP thermal degradation can be detected in the 260 ° C-300 ° C temperature range using the PFR method confidently enough. Applying full-wave simulation of a plane wave scattering from a CFRP sample with the aid of the integral functional technique, we show that the temperature dependence of the reflection coefficient is due to the change of the CFRP filler permittivity.