Time and space resolved standoff hyperspectral ied explosives lidar detector

Abstract

A system and method for standoff detection of explosives and explosive residue. A laser light source illuminates a target area having an unknown sample producing luminescence emitted photons, scattered photons and plasma emitted photons. A first optical system directs light to the target area. A video capture device outputs a dynamic image of the target area. A second optical system collects photons, and directs collected photons to a first two-dimensional array of detection elements and/or to a fiber array spectral translator device which device includes a two-dimensional array of optical fibers drawn into a one-dimensional fiber stack. A spectrograph is coupled to the one-dimensional fiber stack of the fiber array spectral translator device, wherein the entrance slit of the spectrograph is coupled to the one dimensional fiber stack.

1 . A method comprising:
 (a) surveying an area to identify a region of interest comprising an unknown material wherein said identification of said region of interest is based on at least one of size, shape and color of said region of interest;   (b) illuminating the region of interest with a plurality of photons to thereby produce photons reflected from different locations on or within the unknown sample in said region of interest;   (c) collecting said reflected photons Using short wave infrared spectroscopy to produce at least one of the following: a plurality of infrared spectra and a plurality of wavelength resolved infrared images; and   wherein steps (a)-(c) are performed at a standoff distance from said unknown material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said a plurality of spatially resolved infrared spectra comprise short wave infrared spectra and said plurality wavelength resolved infrared images comprise short wave infrared images. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said surveying is achieved using a telescope optics. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said illuminating is achieved using a telescope optics. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said collecting is achieved using a telescope optics. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising analyzing at least one of said plurality of infrared spectra and said plurality of wavelength resolved infrared images to thereby identify said unknown material. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said surveying comprises using a video capture device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said video capture device outputs a dynamic image of said area. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said unknown material comprises an explosive material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said unknoWn material comprises an explosive residue. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said unknown material comprises a chemical compound. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said area is surveyed at a standoff distance. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said region of interest is illuminated at a standoff distance. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said area is selected from the group consisting of: an above ground area, a below ground area, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising passing said reflected photons through a tunable filter selected from the group consisting of: a liquid crystal tunable filer, an electro-optical tunable filter, an acusto-optical tunable filter, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said filter filters said reflected photons in a each of a plurality of predetermined wavelength bands. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said region of interest is illuminated using broadband light. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising analyzing at least one of said a plurality of spatially resolved infrared spectra and a plurality wavelength resolved infrared images to thereby determine a target area. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said target area comprises at least one of the following: an above ground area and a below ground area. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising:
 illuminating said target area with a plurality of photons to thereby produce Raman scattered photons and plasma emitted photons from the target area; 
 collecting, via a fiber array spectral translator device, Raman scattered photons and plasma emitted photons produced by the target area, wherein said device comprises a two dimensional array of optical fibers drawn into a one dimensional fiber stack so as to effectively convert a two-dimensional field of view into a curvilinear field of view; 
 analyzing the Raman scattered photons, produced by the target area, using Raman spectroscopy to produce a plurality of spatially resolved Raman spectra; 
 analyzing the plasma emitted photons, produced by the target area, using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy to produce a plurality of spatially resolved atomic spectra; and 
 applying a fusion algorithm to at least two of the following to identify one or more chemical compounds in the target area: the plurality of spatially resolved infrared spectra, the plurality of spatially resolved Raman spectra and the plurality of spatially resolved atomic spectra. 
 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 (a) surveying an area to identify a region of interest comprising an unknown material wherein said identification of said region of interest is based on at least one of size, shape and color of said region of interest;   (b) illuminating the region of interest with a plurality of photons to thereby produce photons reflected from different locations on or within the unknown sample in said region of interest;   (c) collecting said reflected photons using infrared spectroscopy to produce at least one of the following: a plurality of spatially resolved infrared spectra and a plurality wavelength resolved infrared images;   (d) analyzing at least one of said a plurality of spatially resolved infrared spectra and a plurality wavelength resolved infrared images to thereby determine a target area;   (e) illuminating said target area with a plurality of photons to thereby produce Raman scattered photons and plasma emitted photons from the target area;   (f) collecting, via a fiber array spectral translator device, Raman scattered photons and plasma emitted photons produced by the target area, wherein said device comprises a two dimensional array of optical fibers drawn into atone dimensional fiber stack so as to effectively convert a two-dimensional field of view into a curvilinear field of view;   (g) analyzing the Raman scattered photons, produced by the target area, using Raman spectroscopy to produce a plurality of spatially resolved Raman spectra;   (h) analyzing the plasma emitted photons, produced by the target area, using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy to produce a plurality of spatially resolved atomic spectra; and   (i) applying a fusion algorithm to at least two of the following to identify one or more chemical compounds in the target area: the plurality of spatially resolved infrared spectra, the plurality of spatially resolved Raman spectra and the plurality of spatially resolved atomic spectra, wherein steps (a)-(i) are performed at a standoff distance from said unknown material.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said surveying is achieved using a telescope optics. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said illuminating of said region of interest is achieved using a telescope optics. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said reflected photons are collected using a telescope optics. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said area comprises at least one of: an above ground area and a below ground area. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said unknown material comprises at least one of an explosive material, an explosive residue, and a chemical compound. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said surveying comprises using a video capture device. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said video capture device outputs a dynamic image of said area. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising:
 illuminating said target area with a plurality of photons to thereby produce Raman scattered photons from the target area; 
 collecting said Raman scattered photons using Raman spectroscopy to produce at least one of following: a plurality of spatially resolved Raman spectra, a plurality of wavelength resolved Raman images, and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising analyzing at least one of said plurality of spatially resolved Raman spectra and said plurality of wavelength resolved Raman images to thereby identify said unknown materials. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising collecting said Raman scattered photons via a fiber array spectral translator device, wherein said device comprises a two dimensional array of optical fibers drawn into a one dimensional fiber stack so as to effectively convert a two dimensional field of view into a curvilinear field of view. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said a plurality of spatially resolved infrared spectra comprise short wave infrared spectra and said plurality wavelength resolved infrared images comprise short wave infrared images.