USE OF A FIBER OPTIC PROBE FOR THE DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS BY RAMAN-SPECTROSCOPY

A fiber optic probe has been developed that allows Raman spectra to be acquired remotely from a spectrometer. This system has been used to a cquire spectra from explosive materials. In this study we demonstrate that it is sufficiently sensitive to rapidly detect traces of PETN in fingerprints of Semtex-H explosive. Further development of similar sys tems will enable the detection and non-destructive identification of c ontraband materials in the field.