Rapid detection of infrared backscatter for standoff detection of trace explosives

Christopher J. Breshike; Christopher A. Kendziora; Robert Furstenberg; Yohan Yoon; T. J. Huffman; Viet Nguyen; R. Andrew McGill

doi:10.1117/12.2558485

5 May 2020 Rapid detection of infrared backscatter for standoff detection of trace explosives

Christopher J. Breshike, Christopher A. Kendziora, Robert Furstenberg, Yohan Yoon, T. J. Huffman, Viet Nguyen, R. Andrew McGill

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 11416, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XXI; 114160W (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2558485
Event: SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing, 2020, Online Only

Abstract

The use of rapid scanning quantum cascade lasers in the detection of trace amounts of explosive materials is presented. This technique, infrared backscatter imaging spectroscopy (IBIS), utilizes an array of quick tuning infrared quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) to illuminate targets with mid-IR light, 6 – 11 μm in wavelength, to perform measurements in less than one second. The backscattered signal from targets is collected with a liquid nitrogen cooled MCT focal plane array. This information is stored in a hyperspectral image cube which is then run through a detection algorithm which has been trained on synthetic reflectance spectra of analytes of interest. We discuss the experimental parameters used with the QCLs and the focal plane array to generate and collect the infrared backscatter signal. The performance of the fast scanning QCL is presented in detail along with the experimental protocol used to collect high quality data from targets at proximal standoff distance. Camera frames are collected as the laser wavelength is swept and then are binned and assigned discrete wavelength steps. Spectra are extracted from the binned frames on a pixel by pixel basis. When run at full frame imaging, this results in over 16,000 individual spectra.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Christopher J. Breshike, Christopher A. Kendziora, Robert Furstenberg, Yohan Yoon, T. J. Huffman, Viet Nguyen, and R. Andrew McGill "Rapid detection of infrared backscatter for standoff detection of trace explosives", Proc. SPIE 11416, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XXI, 114160W (5 May 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2558485

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available