Projects / Programmes
New imaging and analytic methods
January 1, 2013
- December 31, 2016
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.21.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Technology driven physics |
|
| 1.02.01 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Physics |
Physics of condesed matter |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T000 |
Technological sciences |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 1.03 |
Natural Sciences |
Physical sciences |
Researchers (9)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
In the continuation of the research programme the capabilities of the georadar system will be improved in terms of shortening the time needed for the calculation of image and increasing the quality of information regarding the type of detected objects in the image in real time. This part of research is based on the hypothesis that an approximate solution of the inverse scattering problem allows for the determination among the detected objects regarding their value of the dielectric constant. In the proposed program, the work is focused on the development of new georadar imaging methods that will allow for a fast recognition of the hidden objects in various media, e.g. below surface, behind walls, under water and in urban environments, as well as on the fusion of georadar methods with other electromagnetic sensors.
A gradiometric configuration of our present alkaline vapor (K) magnetometer will be built. This way the S/N ratio will be improved and we expect to be able to use the so-modified magnetometer also in magnetically unshielded environment. The commercially produced measuring system QD MPMS-XL-5, which we use for measurements of material’s magnetic properties, will be completed with the home-made module for measurements of dielectric properties in the presence of magnetic field and magnetic properties in the presence of electric field.
New algorithms for faster identification of tested illicit materials will be prepared. We shall modify known numerical methods, like clustering, for the reconstruction of 3D picture of inspected objects.
All mentioned improvements in the instrumentation and in the data acquisition and analysis will be used for imaging of hidden objects under the earth or in water, for non-destructive testing of constructions used in civil engineering, for identification of illicit materials and counterfeit medicines, as well as for research of magnetic properties of some interesting new multifunctional materials with possible application in the information and communication technologies.
Significance for science
A home-developed optical magneto-gradiometer has been developed for operation in the magnetically unshielded environment. We tested it in the detection of nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) at low frequencies and reached up to 10-times higher sensitivity compared to conventional NQR measurements. A high sensitivity of the optical magnetometer has been demonstrated by detection of a a magnetic field generated by human heart. It is worth to note that optical magnetometer does not need cryo-cooling as a superconducting SQUID sensor which is nowadays the most used detector of biomagnetic fields. The thermal memory cell is a new way of writing digital information in the magnetically frustrated material solely by a proper temperature manipulation of the media. We succeeded to write a digital information in a system of magnetic nanoparticles above a boiling point of liquid nitrogen and showed that multiferroic materials K3Fe5F15 and K3Cr2Fe3F15 can be used as a media for thermal memory cell. In a cooperation with researchers from Jožef Stefan Institute we reported about the first discovery of a superconductivity in high entropy alloy. It has been shown that the high entropy allow Ta34Nb33Hf8Zr14Ti11 was a superconductor of type II with a critical temperature of 7 K. We successfully demonstrated that THz technology has a potential to be used as an analyzing tool in the field of construction and building materials. For that reason, we developed a special THz imaging procedure for analyzing the inhomogeneous spatial distribution of calcium carbonate within the polymer matrix, where additional use of spectroscopic methods revealed the information about the concentration, chemical modification and granulation of calcium based micro-fillers. In the field of non-destructive testing in civil engineering, numerical methods were developed in order to fuse the images obtained by different nondestructive methods, e.g. ultrasound, geo-radar, thermography, into one, better and more reliable image of the interior of the investigated structure. An automated algorithm for data fusion using clustering method was written and used in a mobile robot system for controlling degradation of a concrete floor in a parking house. Active infrared thermography has been used for a detection of 51 artificially created defects - voids and delaminations - in concrete. We showed that it is possible to “see” defects in concrete whose size is equal to or greater than the concrete cover layer, what is 2-times better as quoted in literature so far. We developed an algorithm for the localization of sources in multichannel magnetic measurements of evoked auditory regions in the cerebral cortex, and a computer program for the numerical calculation of the distribution of electric current in the brain resulting from neural activity.
Significance for the country
The results of the research program are important for the development of Slovenia in several areas: a) Security, where a miniature portable spectrometer for a detection of illicit substances based on a nuclear quadrupole resonance has been developed. In the frame of FP7 project Conphirmer the spectrometer was tested on international postal terminal at the airport in Warsaw. The same spectrometer can also be used for the identification of pharmaceutical products and for separating genuine pharmaceutics products from the counterfeit ones. The results in the field of georadar imaging are useful for the improvement of equipment used for providing the security of population and control of transport of goods (prohibited substances at airports, post office etc.) and people. The development of non-destructive testing methods in civil engineering is important from the standpoint of safety, too. In the last 4 years, we have contributed an important step towards an automatic processing of imaging results, which can enable the monitoring of ageing and degradation of important civil engineering structures like for example bridges in a real time. b) Economy and energy efficiency. The most direct impact in this field is application of non-destructive testing in civil engineering. Using the non-destructive testing methods before the reconstruction of cultural heritage buildings can greatly reduce the renovation costs and decrease the possibilities of inadequate interventions on buildings. Terahertz spectroscopy, that is only very recently applied for investigations of building materials, provides us with additional information about the building condition and allows us energy efficient reconstruction planning of housing and buildings. c) Education and training of young researchers. Two PhD students completed their study in the frame of program group since 2013. Team members have been working on many graduate works as mentors or co-mentors at University of Ljubljana (Faculty of civil and geodetic engineering, and Faculty of mathematics and physics), University of Maribor and at Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School. Each year we organize a summer school in physics for high school students, members of our program team participate as mentors or evaluation commission members in research work of high school students.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2013,
2014,
2015,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2013,
2014,
2015,
final report
