Stand-off Raman instrument for detection of bulk organic and inorganic compounds

Shiv K. Sharma; Anupam K. Misra; Paul G. Lucey; Rachel C. F. Lentz; Chi Hong Chio

doi:10.1117/12.719152

Translator Disclaimer

26 April 2007 Stand-off Raman instrument for detection of bulk organic and inorganic compounds

Shiv K. Sharma, Anupam K. Misra, Paul G. Lucey, Rachel C. F. Lentz, Chi Hong Chio

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6554, Chemical and Biological Sensing VIII; 655405 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.719152
Event: Defense and Security Symposium, 2007, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

We have designed and tested a portable stand-off gated-Raman system that is capable of detecting organic and inorganic bulk chemicals at stand-off distances to 100 m during day and night time. Utilizing a single 532 nm laser pulse (~25 mJ/pulse), Raman spectra of several organic and inorganic compounds have been measured with the portable Raman instrument at a distance of 10 m in a well-illuminated laboratory. Raman spectra, obtained during a very short period of time (2 micro second), from organic compounds such as acetone, benzene, cyclohexane, 2-propanol, naphthalene, and inorganic nitrates, showed all major bands required for unambiguous chemical identification. We have also measured the Raman spectra of acetone, sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide (50%) aqueous solution, nitro-methane containing fuel, and nitrobenzene in glass containers with a 532 nm, 20 Hz pulsed laser excitation and accumulated the spectra with 200 to 600 laser shots (10 to 30 sec integration time) at 100 m with good signal-to-background ratio. The results of these investigations show that the stand-off Raman spectra to 100 m distance can be used to identify Raman fingerprints of both inorganic and organic compounds and could be useful for Homeland security and environmental monitoring.

Citation Download Citation

Shiv K. Sharma, Anupam K. Misra, Paul G. Lucey, Rachel C. F. Lentz, and Chi Hong Chio "Stand-off Raman instrument for detection of bulk organic and inorganic compounds", Proc. SPIE 6554, Chemical and Biological Sensing VIII, 655405 (26 April 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.719152

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE