Influence of Compression Loading on Acoustic Emission and Light Polarization Features in TeO₂ Crystal

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics
• Solid State Physics

Background:

• Real-time monitoring of crystalline materials is crucial for optoelectronics and scientific instrumentation.
• Early defect detection is vital for ensuring the reliability of crystal-based devices.
• Tellurium dioxide (TeO2) crystals are widely used in acousto-optics, necessitating robust monitoring techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a fast characterization method for crystal structures using combined sensing techniques.
• To establish quantitative criteria for identifying irreversible damage and crack formation in crystals.
• To enable non-destructive, real-time monitoring of optically transparent crystals under operating conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a combination of acoustic emission (AE) sensing and cross-polarization imaging.
• Performed experiments on tellurium dioxide (TeO2) crystals under uniaxial compression loading.
• Simultaneously acquired AE signals and four polarized optical images for comprehensive analysis.

Main Results:

• Established quantitative criteria for irreversible damage initiation and crack-like defect formation by analyzing AE data and polarization images.
• Identified specific polarization image patterns and alterations in AE pulse duration correlated with damage processes.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of the combined approach for characterizing crystal structural changes.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method allows for fast, non-destructive characterization of crystal structures.
• The study opens new possibilities for real-time structural monitoring of optically transparent crystals.
• AE sensing and cross-polarization imaging provide valuable insights into crystal integrity under stress.