Microscopic study of stress effects around micro-crack tips using a non-contact stress-induced light scattering method

Abstract

Fine-polishing techniques may cause micro-cracks under glass substrate surfaces. According to highly requirement from production field, a thermal stress-induced light scattering method (T-SILSM) was successfully developed for a non-contact inspection to detect the micro-cracks through changing in the intensity of light scattering accompanied by applying thermal stress at the responding position of the micro-cracks. In this study, in order to investigate that the origin of the measuring principle in microscopic order, a newly developed microscopic T-SILSM system with a rotation stage and a numerical simulation analysis were used to investigate the following; (1) the scattering points and surface in the micro-crack, (2) the stress concentration points in the micro-crack, and (3) the relationship between these information and the point in which intensity of the light scattering changes in the micro-crack through T-SILSM. Light scattering was observed at the responding position of the micro-crack with selectivity in the direction of laser irradiation even in the microscopic order. In addition, the position of the changes in the light scattering in was at both tips in the micro-crack, and it was consistent with the stress concentration point in the micro-crack. Therefore, it can be concluded that the intentional change in light scattering though T-SILSM is originated from light scattering at micro-crack and also from stress concentration and consecutive change in refractive index at both tips in micro-crack.