Modification of Coherent Gradient Sensing (CGS) to Accurately Get the Fringe Order

In this paper, a novel optical method, namely, Coherent Gradient Sensing (CGS) is used to study the fracture properties of IR window materials in the guidance missile. CGS can produce high contrast fringes and provide some degree of control on the sensitivity of measurement during experiment. It is highly attractive for solid mechanics applications, especially to new materials, such as IR window materials. But the accuracy of the fringe order in the CGS interference image will deeply influence the precision of experiment. Because of the different optical principle from other method, the fringe order of CGS can’t be obtained through the phase-shift technology. To satisfy the precision request of IR window materials, a kind of modified CGS method, loading CGS method is introduced and analyzed, which can accurately obtain the fringe order of random position in the CGS interference image. This method doesn’t need additional optical set-up and complicated image processing techniques, but only need two CGS interference images under different loading. Static fracture experiments of ZnS show that this method can evidently improve the precision of the CGS method.