Boston Electronics Corp.

A standoff chemical detection system was developed to rapidly detect trace chemicals on surfaces. In only 0.1 s, the system can measure the long-wave infrared (LWIR) spectral reflectance from a surface over the wavelength range of 7.5 – 10.5 μm with a spectral resolution of 2 cm-1. Under these conditions, a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) > 100 was demonstrated at standoff distances of 0.5 – 1.5 m. As a detection example, saccharin was detected on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) at a surface concentration of 30 μg/cm2. The high-speed acquisition capability was made possible by combining a thermoelectrically cooled single-pixel HgCdTe (MCT) detector, advanced acquisition electronics, and fast-tuning external-cavity quantum cascade lasers (EC-QCLs). Presented by Thomas Gray of Block Engineering. https://spie.org/defense-commercial-sensing/presentation/High-speed-single-pixel-long-wave-infrared-trace-chemical-detection/13056-32 24 April 2024 • 11:20 AM - 11:40 AM EDT | Chesapeake 5

A hand-portable standoff trace chemical detection system was developed which operates using the technology of laser-based, long-wave-infrared (LWIR) hyperspectral imaging (HSI). This system utilizes external-cavity quantum cascade lasers for illumination and a microbolometer camera as the detector. Trace surface chemicals can be detected at standoff distance from 0.5 m to more than 5 m. In this talk, we will present a variety of detection results including solid and liquid residues on an assortment of surfaces as well as localized contamination. Furthermore, we will discuss the empirically determined detection limits of LWIR HSI technology. Presented by Erik Lenferink, Block Engineering. https://spie.org/defense-commercial-sensing/presentation/Hand-portable-trace-chemical-detector/13056-13 22 April 2024 • 2:20 PM - 2:40 PM EDT | Chesapeake 5