CEREX report 2010-June. Detection of Explosives Particles by Imaging Raman Spectroscopy

Authors:

  • Hanna Ellis
  • Markus Nordberg
  • Anneli Ehlerding
  • Henric Östmark

Publish date: 2010-08-09

Report number: FOI-R--3012--SE

Pages: 39

Written in: English

Keywords:

  • Raman spectroscopy
  • imaging
  • particles
  • explosives
  • AN
  • TNT
  • DNT
  • RDX
  • PETN

Abstract

FOI has in several projects examined Raman Spectroscopy as a method for stand-off detection of explosives. The method has shown on good results in bulk detection [1-3], vapour detection [4] and particle detection [5]. In order to find potential IED:s and other explosive threats, sensitive methods are needed. The IED or the explosive in itself will most often not be visible for the naked eye, the terrorist will probably package the explosive in an opaque bag or similar. This will make it impossible for the laser beam to detect the substance with the previous used method. Another possibility is then to use a particle detection method to find the small traces that the producer of the explosive inevitable will spread on and around himself. With the particle detection one could be able to find the producer of the explosive, or the factory, before any harm has been caused. The particle detection method is built on Raman spectroscopy but has been modified by substituting the spectrometer with tunable filter and ICCD-camera. This makes it possibly to use imaging Raman spectroscopy and has in earlier report [5] shown to identify four different cylinder samples, some of them of explosive substances, all with a diameter of 5 mm. This system for particle detection has been developed by FOI and application for patent has been submitted. This report presents the development of a more compact demo apparatus for detection of small amount of substance, particles, of explosives. The system is mounted on a pan-and-tilt head and can be pointed at targets for detection and identification, which makes it possible to use in field. Reference spectra of explosives such as TNT, RDX and PETN have been measured in order to update the library of substances for identification. The system has also been able to detect and identify particles of AN, DNT and TNT present in a fingerprint. Further work with developing the software should be done, such as noise reduction, image managing and improved identification algorithms. Some improvements of the optics in the system could be done to increase the resolution. A future goal is to do the detection with eye-safe laser, which correspond to a laser wavelength in the UV-area with lower effect and higher repetition frequency than the present. In order to achieve this; transmission filter needs to be further developed.