Infrared hyperspectral imaging for chemical vapour detection

K. Ruxton; G. Robertson; W. Miller; G.P. A. Malcolm; G. T. Maker; C. R. Howle

doi:10.1117/12.975057

30 October 2012 Infrared hyperspectral imaging for chemical vapour detection

K. Ruxton, G. Robertson, W. Miller, G.P. A. Malcolm, G. T. Maker, C. R. Howle

Proceedings Volume 8546, Optics and Photonics for Counterterrorism, Crime Fighting, and Defence VIII; 85460K (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.975057
Event: SPIE Security + Defence, 2012, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Abstract

Active hyperspectral imaging is a valuable tool in a wide range of applications. One such area is the detection and identification of chemicals, especially toxic chemical warfare agents, through analysis of the resulting absorption spectrum. This work presents a selection of results from a prototype midwave infrared (MWIR) hyperspectral imaging instrument that has successfully been used for compound detection at a range of standoff distances. Active hyperspectral imaging utilises a broadly tunable laser source to illuminate the scene with light at a range of wavelengths. While there are a number of illumination methods, the chosen configuration illuminates the scene by raster scanning the laser beam using a pair of galvanometric mirrors. The resulting backscattered light from the scene is collected by the same mirrors and focussed onto a suitable single-point detector, where the image is constructed pixel by pixel. The imaging instrument that was developed in this work is based around an IR optical parametric oscillator (OPO) source with broad tunability, operating in the 2.6 to 3.7 μm (MWIR) and 1.5 to 1.8 μm (shortwave IR, SWIR) spectral regions. The MWIR beam was primarily used as it addressed the fundamental absorption features of the target compounds compared to the overtone and combination bands in the SWIR region, which can be less intense by more than an order of magnitude. We show that a prototype NCI instrument was able to locate hydrocarbon materials at distances up to 15 metres.

Citation Download Citation

K. Ruxton, G. Robertson, W. Miller, G.P. A. Malcolm, G. T. Maker, and C. R. Howle "Infrared hyperspectral imaging for chemical vapour detection", Proc. SPIE 8546, Optics and Photonics for Counterterrorism, Crime Fighting, and Defence VIII, 85460K (30 October 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.975057

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