Photodissociation followed by laser-induced fluorescence at atmospheric pressure and 24 degrees C: a unique scheme for remote detection of explosives.
A unique scheme has been applied for sensitive remote detection of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) vapor trace amounts at atmospheric pressure and 24 degrees C. The detection concept is based on a single laser beam inducing a tandem process: photodissociation of TNT vapor followed by highly selective detection of its photofragments vibrationally excited NO, utilizing laser-induced fluorescence with the A2Sigma+(v' = 0) <-- X2Pi(v'' = 2) transition. A detection sensitivity of at least 8 parts in 10(9) of TNT vapor with a signal-to-noise ratio of approximately 10 has been experimentally verified for an unfocused approximately 5-mJ laser beam, measured at a distance of approximately 15 cm from the TNT sample.
Arusi-Parpar
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Non-Linear Optics Group, Electro-Optics Division, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne 81800, Israel.
Heflinger
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Lavi
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