Remote sensing of explosives using mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers

F. Fuchs; Ch. Wild; Benjamin Kirn; W. Bronner; B. Raynor; K. Koehler; J. Wagner

doi:10.1117/12.737094

7 November 2007 Remote sensing of explosives using mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers

F. Fuchs, Ch. Wild, Benjamin Kirn, W. Bronner, B. Raynor, K. Koehler, J. Wagner

Proceedings Volume 6739, Electro-Optical Remote Sensing, Detection, and Photonic Technologies and Their Applications; 673904 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.737094
Event: Optics/Photonics in Security and Defence, 2007, Florence, Italy

Abstract

The spectroscopic detection of complex molecules, such as explosives, requires a much broader spectral tuning range of the employed laser compared to the well-established tunable diode laser spectroscopy of light molecules. In this paper we demonstrate a new type of spectrally-tunable laser modules, which enables an increase of the tuning range by at least one order of magnitude in comparison to the established current-temperature tuning techniques. This was achieved by increasing the operating temperature range through the use of a temperature-variable diamond submount. The module comprises a quantum cascade (QC) laser mounted on the diamond submount with an integrated heater element and temperature sensor, enabling a controlled temperature change of the laser between 77 K and 400 K at a rate of temperature change of up to 2500 K/s. The favorable temperature characteristics allow us to easily tune the laser wavelength on- and off-resonance with the characteristic absorption bands of the material to be detected. With the QC laser module we demonstrate the detection of surface contaminations of around 10 μg/cm² TNT performing imaging backscattering spectroscopy.

Citation Download Citation

F. Fuchs, Ch. Wild, Benjamin Kirn, W. Bronner, B. Raynor, K. Koehler, and J. Wagner "Remote sensing of explosives using mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers", Proc. SPIE 6739, Electro-Optical Remote Sensing, Detection, and Photonic Technologies and Their Applications, 673904 (7 November 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.737094

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