Investigations of hollow-core photonic crystal fibres (HC-PCF) for trace explosive vapour detection

Jincy Johny; Shruti Karnik; Radhakrishna Prabhu

doi:10.1117/12.2574356

17 September 2020 Investigations of hollow-core photonic crystal fibres (HC-PCF) for trace explosive vapour detection

Jincy Johny, Shruti Karnik, Radhakrishna Prabhu

Proceedings Volume 11542, Counterterrorism, Crime Fighting, Forensics, and Surveillance Technologies IV; 115420Q (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2574356
Event: SPIE Security + Defence, 2020, Online Only

Conference Poster

Abstract

Trace detection and identification of hazardous volatile explosives has been a key challenge to the scientific community past many decades. Commercially available various analytical and spectroscopic techniques suffer from low sensitivity, swabbing of surfaces and low detection limit. Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP), used in improvised explosive devices IEDs vaporizes readily at room temperature and has a vapour signature. However, explosive trace detectors (ETDs) are incompetent to detect TATP due to absence of chromophoric groups. We have investigated the novel hollow core photonic crystal fibres (HC-PCFs) based Raman sensor for real time monitoring of such volatile explosives in airport security. Raman scattering, a powerful, non-destructive tool provides molecular fingerprinting and is a potential candidate for detection of trace explosives but suffer from weak signal strength. Simultaneous confinement of pumped light and gas in HCFs allows greater light gas interaction providing an excellent optical sensing platform. These sensors can be easily incorporated at the security terminals or baggage counters with the existing metal detection systems. This paper reports investigations carried out on the HC-PCF designed using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The Raman signal being dependent on its intensity and mode area, simulations were conducted to analyse PCF parameters like confinement losses and mode field diameter/ effective mode area and its associated wavelength dependency. Theoretical study carried out on the HC-PCF also revealed that mode field confinements within the hollow core can be modified to suit specific laser wavelengths and confinement losses can be reduced to achieve Raman signal enhancement by optimizing their geometrical parameters like air-hole size and pitch/ hole-to-hole distance.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Jincy Johny, Shruti Karnik, and Radhakrishna Prabhu "Investigations of hollow-core photonic crystal fibres (HC-PCF) for trace explosive vapour detection", Proc. SPIE 11542, Counterterrorism, Crime Fighting, Forensics, and Surveillance Technologies IV, 115420Q (17 September 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2574356

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available