Photoacoustic Spectroscopy for Chemical Detection

Abstract

The Global War on Terror has made rapid detection and identification of chemical and biological agents a priority for Military and Homeland Defense applications. Reliable real-time detection of these threats is complicated by our enemy s use of a diverse range of materials. Therefore, an adaptable platform is necessary. Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) is a useful monitoring technique that is well suited for trace detection of gaseous media. This method routinely exhibits detection limits at the parts-per-billion (ppb) or sub-ppb range. The versatility of PAS also allows for the investigation of solid and liquid analytes. Current research utilizes quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) in combination with an air-coupled solid-phase photoacoustic cell design for the detection of condensed phase material films deposited on a surface. Furthermore, variation of the QCL pulse repetition rate allows for identification and molecular discrimination of analytes based solely on photoacoustic spectra collected at different film depths.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2012
Accession Number
ADA614507

Entities

People

  • Ellen L. Holthoff
  • Paul M. Pellegrino

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplifiers
  • Chemical Detection
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Films
  • Frequency
  • Homeland Defense
  • Lasers
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Optical Absorption
  • Phase
  • Quantum Cascade Lasers
  • Repetition Rate
  • Spectra
  • Spectroscopy

Readers

  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Medical Imaging.
  • Oncology and Biomarker-Based Cancer Detection.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Quantum Computing