Chemical, biological and explosives sensing at stand-off with quantum cascade laser dual-comb spectroscopy

用于检测有害和非法物质痕量的理想系统应该能够在大面积扫描的同时在显著范围内快速、原位识别各种材料。这种自动化系统应该能够检测威胁，在复杂的污染环境中工作，识别各种物质，并提供适当和及时的警告，同时最大限度地减少对正常人流的干扰。在这个项目中，我们将开发一种新型的隔离扫描双梳光谱仪，用于检测和识别各种表面上的化学、生物或爆炸物残留物。最近，我们展示了基于量子级联激光器（QCL）频率梳源的双梳光谱的分子物质痕量隔离传感（https：doi.org/10.1109/TIM.2022.3147899）。本项目将开发一种用于化学、生物和爆炸物检测和鉴定的远距离扫描双梳状光谱仪的概念验证，并分析双梳状扫描光谱仪在静态和扫描状态下可实现的检测极限。将确定将这些检测限推向物质痕量检测的实际感兴趣值的主要限制。将研究各种表面上物质原位识别的最佳统计方法，目标是开发现场环境中目标识别的定制软件。欲了解更多信息，请联系Vasili Savitski博士：vasili. fraunhofer.co.uk

Ideal system for detection of traces of harmful and illegal substances should be capable of rapid, in-situ identification of a broad range of materials at significant range whilst scanning over large areas. Such automated systems should be capable of detecting the threat, work in complex, contaminated environments, identify the array of substances, and provide suitable and timely warnings while minimising interruption to normal flow of people. In this project a new stand-off scanning dual-comb spectrometer will be developed for detection and identification of chemical, biological or explosives residues on various surfaces.Recently, we demonstrated stand-off sensing of traces of molecular substances based on dual-comb spectroscopy using Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) frequency comb sources (https://doi.org/10.1109/TIM.2022.3147899 ). In this project a proof-of-concept of a stand-off scanning dual- comb spectrometer for chemical, biological and explosives detection and identification will be developed.The achievable detection limits of the dual-comb scanning spectrometer in static and scanning regimes will be analyzed. Main limitations in pushing these detection limits towards the values of practical interest for traces of substances detection will be determined. The best statistical methods for in-situ identification of substances on various surfaces will be studied targeting the development of bespoke software for target identification in field environment.For more information contact Dr. Vasili Savitski: vasili.savitski@fraunhofer.co.uk