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Controlled substance detection and identification systemControlled substance detection and identification system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070085998, Controlled substance detection and identification system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to detection and identification of explosives and other controlled substances. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Detection and identification of explosives are important in forensic, security screening, environmental pollution and a variety of other applications. A variety of analytical tools and methods, including mass-spectrometry, gas chromatography and ion mobility spectrometry, are used in the laboratory for detection and identification of explosives. These methods have also been applied in airport security screening systems. Since conventional X-Ray and CT systems are not analytic systems, complementary analytical methods are used to verify suspected explosives that are detected. Systems based on these methods perform detection or identification utilizing material sampling. Conventional sampling methods include vapor detection systems, such as sniffers, which use vacuum pumping, and pad swiping systems, which detect traces of contaminants on a body surface. However, even the most sensitive methods are limited by sampling, since the system can fail to detect an explosive because the sampling is not done efficiently enough. [0003] Explosive detection methods and systems are described, inter-alia, in "Forensic and Environmental Detection of Explosives", Jehuda Yinon, John Wiley & Sons Ltd. (1999); and in a review by Jeffrey I. Steinfeld and Jody Wormhoudt, Ann. Rev. Phys. Chem. (1998), v49, 203-232. Steinfeld and Wormhoudt mention the stickiness of explosive particulates as an important physical-chemical property. This property of explosive particulates enables traces of explosives to be detected on materials that have come in contact with explosives. [0004] A method for detection of traces of explosives is described by Haley et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,895. This patent describes performing detection without sampling by applying laser radiation, causing micro-denotation of explosive particulates that are found on a suitcase surface. The explosive is detected by measuring the characteristic emission of the explosive micro-detonation. Another method, described by Funsten et al in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,638,166 and 5,912,466, uses sampling to detect micro-detonation emission caused by heating resulting in deflagration. [0005] The following U.S. patents and articles are believed to be representative of the prior art: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,160,255; 5,912,466; 5,906,946; 5,826,214; 5,760,895; 5,728,584; 5,697,373 and 5,638,166. [0006] Arusi-Parpar et al Applied Optics, 2001 V40, No. 336, pp 6677-6681; [0007] G. Mizutani et al, J. of Luminescence, 2000, 87-89, pp 824-826; [0008] L. Smilowitz et al, Abstracts, June, 2001 SHOCK 01, Session L2-DE; [0009] C. Cheng et al, J. of Forensic Sciences, 1995, 40 pp 31-37; [0010] K. Horton et al, Abstracts, Lunar and Planetary Science XXXII (2001). SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] The present invention seeks to provide improved apparatus and methodologies for detection and identification of explosives and other controlled substances. [0012] There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a system for detecting controlled substances on an object including at least one laser for illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy at a first wavelength and a second harmonic controlled substance detector for detecting laser energy scattered from the object to detect scattered laser energy having a second wavelength which is a second harmonic of the first wavelength, wherein detection of scattered laser energy having a second wavelength which is a second harmonic of the first wavelength indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on the [0013] In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention the system also includes at least one additional controlled substance detector including at least one of a luminescence controlled substance detector for detecting luminescence produced by impingement of the laser energy, wherein detection of luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on the object, and a Raman scattering controlled substance detector, for detecting Raman scattering produced by impingement of the laser energy. Preferably, the system also includes logic operative in response to outputs of the second harmonic detector and the at least one additional controlled substance detector to provide an enhanced output indication of a possibility that one or more controlled substances may be present. [0014] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention a system for detecting controlled substances on an object including a laser for illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy and a luminescence controlled substance detector for detecting luminescence produced by impingement of the laser energy, wherein detection of luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on the object. [0015] In accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention the system also includes a Raman scattering controlled substance detector for detecting Raman scattering produced by impingement of the laser energy. Preferably, the system also includes logic operative in response to outputs of the luminescence controlled substance detector and Raman scattering controlled substance detector to provide an enhanced output indication of a possibility that one or more controlled substances may be present. [0016] There is further provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention a system for detecting controlled substances on an object including at least one laser for illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy and a time-resolved controlled substance detector for detecting Raman scattering produced by impingement of the laser energy, wherein time-resolved detection of Raman scattering indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on the object. [0017] Preferably, the second harmonic controlled substance detector is a time-resolved detector. Additionally or alternatively, the luminescence controlled substance detector is a time-resolved detector. Alternatively or additionally, the Raman scattering controlled substance detector is a time-resolved detector. [0018] In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention the system is an imagewise system. Alternatively, the system is a non-imagewise system. [0019] In accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention the system also includes a controlled substance detection verifier. Preferably, the controlled substance detection verifier employs time-resolved laser induced breakdown spectroscopy verification. [0020] In accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention the system also includes a controlled substance identifier. Preferably, the explosives identifier employs at least one of time-resolved luminescence and time-resolved Raman scattering. Additionally, the explosives identifier also employs time-resolved laser induced breakdown spectroscopy for enhanced identification. [0021] In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention the system also includes a scanning mechanism for directing at least one laser beam from the at least one laser to the object. [0022] There is also provided in accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for detecting controlled substances on an object including illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy at a first wavelength and detecting scattered laser energy from the object having a second wavelength which is a second harmonic of the first wavelength, wherein the detecting indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on the object. [0023] In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention the detecting also includes detecting at least one of luminescence produced by impingement of the laser energy, wherein the detecting luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on the object, and Raman scattering produced by impingement of the laser energy. Additionally, the method also includes providing an enhanced output indication of a possibility that one or more controlled substances may be present in response to the detecting scattered laser energy having a second wavelength which is a second harmonic of the first wavelength and the detecting at least one of luminescence produced and Raman scattering produced. [0024] There is further provided in accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for detecting controlled substances on an object including illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy and detecting luminescence produced by impingement of the laser energy, wherein the detecting luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on the object. [0025] In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention the method also includes detecting Raman scattering produced by impingement of the laser energy. Additionally, the method also includes providing an enhanced output indication of a possibility that one or more controlled substances may be present in response to the detecting luminescence and the detecting Raman scattering. [0026] There is yet further provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for detecting controlled substances on an object including illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy and detecting in a time-resolved manner Raman scattering produced by impingement of the laser energy, wherein time-resolved detecting of Raman scattering indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on the object. Continue reading about Controlled substance detection and identification system... Full patent description for Controlled substance detection and identification system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Controlled substance detection and identification system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. 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