Abstract

A unique scheme has been applied for sensitive remote detection of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) vapor trace amounts at atmospheric pressure and 24 °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 A ²Σ⁺(v′ = 0) ← X ²Π(v″ = 2) transition. A detection sensitivity of at least 8 parts in 10⁹ of TNT vapor with a signal-to-noise ratio of approximately 10 has been experimentally verified for an unfocused ∼5-mJ laser beam, measured at a distance of ∼15 cm from the TNT sample.

© 2001 Optical Society of America

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