Optical techniques are known to be useful in studying corrosion phenomena.1,2  This suitability is due to the fact that light penetrates a typical metal surface roughly about 100 Angstroms, or equivalently about 50 atomic distances, which is approximately the layer in which many corrosion phenomena take place. The corrosion products which form on metals usually have different optical properties than the metals themselves. Measurement of these properties, such as the index of refraction or the absorption constant, can therefore be used for the characterization of the corrosion product. In many cases the corrosion product is semi-transparent for certain wavelengths of the light. This increases the penetration depth of the impinging light.

Subject
Films, Water, Materials, Corrosion cells, Structures, Pourbaix diagrams, Quartz, Inspection, Corrosion products, Metals, Sputter deposition, Copper, Electrolytes
© 1977 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1977
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
You do not currently have access to this content.