Non-destructive evaluation of thermal barrier coatings in gas turbine engines

摘要

A non-destructive method of detecting subsurface defects in thermal barrier coatings applied to gas turbine engine components is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes positioning a evanescent microwave microscope probe adjacent a turbine component surface coated with a thermal barrier coating, and scanning the thermal barrier coating by moving at least one of the evanescent microwave microscope probe and the component surface in relation to one another in an x-y plane while maintaining a predetermined distance between the probe and the thermal barrier coating constant.