Final report: Detection of explosives by means of silicon carbide transistors

Authors:

  • Anna Pohl
  • Robert Björklund
  • Anita Lloyd Spetz
  • Erik Holmgren
  • Rune Berglind

Publish date: 2009-12-31

Report number: FOI-R--2905--SE

Pages: 15

Written in: Swedish

Keywords:

  • explosives
  • detection
  • sensor
  • silicon carbide
  • SiC

Abstract

The project which is a collaboration with Professor Anita Lloyd Spetz' group at Linköping University investigates if it is possible to use a sensor that consists of a transistor of silicon carbide (SiC) to detect explosives. The sensor was developed together with the car industry (VOLVO) to detect diesel exhausts. It was recently commercialized by SenSiC AB, a spin off company from the group of Prof Lloyd Spetz. Since the delivery of the sensors was partly delayed some of the measurements where made on the competitors (FIS Inc.) sensors (metal oxide sensors). The sensor was tested on DNT (dinitrotoluene) which is a biproduct to TNT (trotyl). The conclusions are the following: The sensor detects DNT The sensitivity is approximately ppb (part per billion) which means that a dog's nose is approximately one million more sensitive. The method is therefore not suitable for mine detection, however one could imagine an application for closed volumes for example containers or cars. The method indicates selectivity but further testing and development is needed before one can consider the method as selective.