Optical filter for flash lamps in pulsed thermal imaging

1. An optical filter for flash lamps used in pulsed thermal imaging comprising:

at least one optical filter member,

said at least one optical filter member substantially covering a flash lamp; and

said at least one optical filter member including a stack of multiple plates; said at least one optical filter member being formed of a selected filter material having predefined optical properties and forming said stack of multiple plates for allowing visible wavelengths to penetrate while substantially blocking infrared wavelengths, said blocked infrared wavelengths being in a predefined spectrum band range of an infrared camera, said blocked infrared wavelengths being blocked by said selected filter material forming said stack of multiple plates of said at least one optical filter member in both a flash period and a residual heat period for the flash lamp, said selected filter material forming said at least one optical filter member enabling substantially complete data obtained in a thermal imaging test to be usable and accurate, without errors introduced by flash reflection effect and residual heating effect.

2. An optical filter as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one optical filter member is made from said selected filter material of a group consisting of a borosilicate optical material, a heat absorbing glass, and sapphire.

3. An optical filter as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one optical filter member substantially eliminates infrared radiation from the flash lamp to allow for accurate detection of surface temperature during entire pulsed thermal imaging tests.

4. An optical filter as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one optical filter member including said stack of multiple plates includes a 6.5 mm thick borosilicate optical window.

5. An optical filter as recited in claim 4 wherein said 6.5 mm thick borosilicate optical window provides an optical transmission of greater than 92% in the visible wavelengths, and less than 2.5% in the infrared 3-5 micron wavelengths.

6. An optical filter as recited in claim 1 wherein said blocked infrared wavelengths within said predefined spectrum band range of an infrared camera include a range of 3-5 micron wavelengths.

7. An optical filter as recited in claim 1 wherein said blocked infrared wavelengths within said predefined spectrum band range of an infrared camera include a range of 8-14 micron wavelengths.

8. An optical filter as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one optical filter member includes a stack of 6.5 mm thick borosilicate optical windows.

9. An optical filter as recited in claim 8 wherein said stack includes a maximum of seven of said 6.5 mm thick borosilicate optical windows.

10. An optical filter for flash lamps used in pulsed thermal imaging comprising:

at least one optical filter member, said at least one optical filter member including a stack of multiple windows made from a borosilicate optical material;

said at least one optical filter member substantially covering a flash lamp; and

said at least one optical filter member member being formed of said borosilicate optical material having predefined optical properties and forming said stack of multiple windows for allowing visible wavelengths to penetrate while substantially blocking infrared wavelengths, said blocked infrared wavelengths being in a predefined spectrum band range of an infrared camera, said blocked infrared wavelengths being blocked by said borosilicate optical material forming said stack of multiple windows of said at least one optical filter member in both a flash period and a residual heat period for the flash lamp, said borosilicate optical material forming said stack of multiple windows of said at least one optical filter member allowing substantially complete data obtained in a thermal imaging test to be usable and accurate, without errors introduced by flash reflection effect and residual heating effect.

11. An optical filter as recited in claim 10 wherein said at least one optical filter member includes said stack of 6 plates made from said borosilicate optical material.

12. An optical filter as recited in claim 11 wherein said at least one optical filter member reduces the infrared radiation from a flash by greater than 9 orders of magnitude, while the flash energy in the visible wavelengths is decreased by less than 40%.

13. An optical filter for flash lamps used in pulsed thermal imaging comprising:

at least one optical filter member, said at least one optical filter member being made from a borosilicate optical material;

said at least one optical filter member including a stack of multiple plates and substantially covering a flash lamp; and

said at least one optical filter member being formed of said borosilicate optical material having predefined optical properties and forming said stack of multiple plates for allowing visible wavelength to penetrate while substantially blocking infrared wavelengths, said blocked infrared wavelengths being in a predefined spectrum band range of an infrared camera including a range of 8-14 micron wavelengths, said blocked infrared wavelengths being blocked by said borosilicate optical material forming said stack of multiple plates of said at least one optical filter member in both a flash period and a residual heat period for the flash lamp, said selected filter material forming said stack of multiple plates of said at least one optical filter member allowing substantially complete data obtained in a thermal imaging test to be usable and accurate, without errors introduced by flash reflection effect and residual heating effect.