High Sensitivity Standoff LIBS Technology

The U.S. Army has the need for a compact, laser-induced breakdown spectrometer (LIBS) capable of standoff detection from a range of 100 meters. In a LIBS system, the laser fires at a target to create a micro-plasma emission of radiation that can be analyzed by its spectrometer. The LIBS technique has been used extensively to quantify contaminants in metal alloys, paints, and soils. The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has been testing LIBS for the detection of chemical warfare agents, bacterial spores, molds, pollens, and proteins. Commercially available LIBS systems use multiple grating spectrometers to reveal the elemental composition of the target from its 0.2 - 1 micron wavelength emission signature. The Spectral Imaging Laboratory (SPILAB) proposes the development of a lower cost system based on a single, high throughput optical module that can also be used for long range, open-path LIBS detection. During Phase 1 SPILAB will design the new optical module, build a novel open-path beam delivery/collection system, and test it with various lasers.