Surface enhanced vibrational spectroscopy for the detection of explosives

A detector which can detect a broad range of explosives without false alarms is urgently needed. Vibrational spectroscopy provides specific spectral information about molecules enabling the identification of analytes by their “fingerprint” spectra. The low detection limit caused by the inherent weak Raman process can be increased by the Surface Enhanced Raman (SER) effect. This is particularly attractive because it combines low detection limits with high information content for establishing molecular identity. Based on SER spectroscopy we have constructed a modular detection system. Here, we want to show a combination of SER spectroscopy and chemometrics to distinguish between chemically similar substances. Such an approach will finally reduce the false alarm rate. It is still a challenge to determine the limit of detection of the analyte on a SER substrate or its enhancement factor. For physisorbed molecules we have applied a novel approach. By this approach the performance of plasmonic substrates and Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) enhancement of explosives can be evaluated. Moreover, novel nanostructured substrates for surface enhanced IR absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy will be presented. The enhancement factor and a limit of detection are estimated.