Mid-infrared optical coherence tomography as a method for inspection and quality assurance in ceramics additive manufacturing

In the past decade, significant progress has been made in ceramics additive manufacturing (AM). Material research and rapid evolution of high-resolution printing technologies enabled production high-quality, high-precision, complex-structured ceramic objects. this contribution, we propose a contactless, non-destructive method mid-infrared optical coherence tomography (mid-IR OCT) for at-line inspection quality assurance AM ceramics. The OCT system operates spectral range from 3.15 μm to 4.2 featuring extended probing depth into porous spatial resolution mid-IR is suited most techniques: axial (determined by length) 8 μm; lateral around 40 size focused beam). capabilities are demonstrated imaging diverse high-scattering single multi-component samples (in both green sintered states) fabricated means lithography-based manufacturing. selected materials alumina zirconia, gold standard AM. Some features interest, such as local changes porosity, surface sub-surface defects layer structure, were accessed analyzed.