Simultaneous Raman spectroscopy-laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for instant standoff analysis of explosives using a mobile integrated sensor platform.

A novel experimental design combining Raman spectroscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in a unique integrated sensor is described. The sensor presented herein aims to demonstrate the applicability of a hybrid dual Raman-LIBS system as an analytical tool for the standoff analysis of energetic materials. Frequency-doubled 532 nm Nd:YAG nanosecond laser pulses, first expanded and then focused using a 10x beam expander on targets located at 20 m, allowed simultaneous acquisition of Raman-LIBS spectra for 4-mononitrotoluene (MNT), 2,6-dinitrotoluene (DNT), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), C4 and H15 (plastic explosives containing 90% and 75% of RDX by weight, respectively), and Goma2-ECO (Spanish denominated dynamite class high explosive mainly composed of ammonium nitrate, nitroglycol, and dinitrotoluene among other compounds), sodium chlorate, and ammonium nitrate. With the use of a Cassegrain telescope, both Raman and LIBS signals from the same laser pulses were collected and conducted through a bifurcated optical fiber into two identical grating spectrographs coupled to intensified charge-coupled device (iCCD) detectors. With the use of the appropriate timing for each detection mode, adjustment of the laser power on the beam focal conditions is not required. The ability of the present single hybrid sensor to simultaneously acquire, in real time, both molecular and multielemental information from the same laser pulses on the same cross section of the sample at standoff distances greatly enhances the information power of this approach.