Detection of explosives and latent fingerprint residues utilizing laser pointer-based Raman spectroscopy

A modular, compact Raman spectrometer, based on a green laser pointer, an air cooled intensified charged coupled device and a x, y motorized translation stage was developed and applied for point detection. Its performance was tested for measurements of Raman spectra of liquids, trace amounts of explosives and individual particles, as well as for locating individual particles of interest and for chemical imaging of residues of latent human fingerprints. This system was found to be highly sensitive, identifying masses as low as ~1 ng in short times. The point and real-time detection capabilities of the spectrometer, together with the portability that it offers, make it a potential candidate for replacing existing Raman microscopes and for field applications.