Fingerprinting CBRNE materials using surface-enhanced Raman scattering

One approach to CBRNE detection is analytical monitoring with portable spectroscopy systems. Such a technique needs to work in adverse environments, be amenable to use by field operators, and, given the sensitive nature of the target materials, should have an extremely rapid response time with no false negatives. This research demonstrates that surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is capable of detecting ppb levels of CBRNE materials with high sensitivity and no false positives. We present reproducible and selective detection using novel SERS structures that exhibit an inherently uniform surface morphology, leading to rapid, reproducible manufacturing. Our work includes receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves for the detection of both conventional and improvised nitro explosives at low signal-to-noise ratios. We also present the detection of added CBRNE materials including chemical and biological agents as well as nuclear enriching materials. Our expertise extends to instrumentation of portable, robust Raman spectrographs that can be packaged with our sensors for a versatile security tool with applications extending from points of entry to points of production, from people to objects and freight.