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Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Quantitative Atomic-Site Analysis of Functional Dopants/Point Defects in Crystalline Materials by Electron-Channeling-Enhanced Microanalysis
Published on: May 10, 2021
Imaging of material defects with a radio-frequency atomic magnetometer
P Bevington1, R Gartman1, W Chalupczak1
1National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington TW11 0LW, United Kingdom.
This study demonstrates non-destructive testing of metal plate defects using atomic magnetometers. The technique reliably measures defect depth and dimensions by analyzing magnetic resonance signals.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Engineering
Background:
- Non-destructive testing (NDT) is crucial for evaluating material integrity.
- Atomic magnetometers offer high sensitivity for magnetic field measurements.
- Characterizing defects in metal plates requires precise detection methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate non-destructive inductive testing of defects in metal plates.
- To explore the signal features representing structural defects.
- To establish a robust method for determining defect dimensions and depth.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing the magnetic resonance signal from a radio-frequency atomic magnetometer.
- Comparing numerical simulations with experimental results on aluminum plates.
- Analyzing the spatial profile, amplitude, and phase of the magnetometer signal.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated correspondence between secondary magnetic field properties and magnetometer signals.
- Showed that two secondary field components map to the magnetometer signal's amplitude and phase.
- Confirmed reliable measurement of defect depth using amplitude and phase contrast.
Conclusions:
- Atomic magnetometers provide semi-vectorial magnetic field information for NDT.
- The developed process robustly determines defect dimensions, independent of sensor size.
- This method enables reliable defect depth measurement in metal plates.
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