TRACE LEVEL DETECTION OF EXPLOSIVES BY SURFACE ENHANCED RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY (SERS) FOR DEFENCE APPLICATIONS - BEST PRACTICE

Recently a high demand for fast, cheap and easy to use selective and sensitive methods for trace detection of explosives developed. Beside other techniques like sensitive mass detections SERS (Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy) is a very powerful tool to enhance signals in the order of 10(4) - 10(10) for Raman-active analytic molecules. SERS based on the interaction between surface plasmon of metal nanoparticles (10 - 300 nm) like gold, silver, aluminum and gold/palladium alloy with traces of contaminants like explosives. Here we present our results for different explosives on different available and self-made SERS-substrates with varying parameters, like laser excitation (266 nm, 532 nm, 633 nm, 785 nm and 1064 nm), laser power, spot size and local energetic efficiency to acquire the best practice for an easy, effective and safe treatment of explosive traces.