Development Of Standoff Laser-Induced Thermal (Infrared) Emission (LITE) System For Chemical and Biological Materials

There is a current need for an active standoff system that can detect and classify surfaces that have been contaminated with chemical, biological and explosive (CBE) materials. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Laser Induced Thermal Emission (LITE) has shown great promise for detection of such contaminants. In Phase I of this program we, for the first time, have demonstrated generation and detection of MWIR & LWIR LIBS and LITE signatures from explosive stimulants and we presented the roadmap to developing a packaged, field portable IR LITE/LIBS unit. In Phase II of this work, we will improve and optimize the LITE system by using a sensitive, linear array detector (as opposed to the single element point detector that was used in Phase I.) Use of linear array detector will allow faster acquisition and a smaller area/quantity sample with no special sample preparation. Moreover, the proposed system will be capable of threat detection in the presence of interfering materials. We will develop an IR LIBS/LITE signature library (2-12 mm) for selected chemical, biological, and energetic solid-state simulant materials. At the conclusion of the Phase II work, we will deliver a packaged IR LITE/LIBS unit capable of standoff detection of CBE materials.