USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Board of Governors for Higher Education, State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

Michael R Corson

Jeffrey H Bowles

Jacob Grun

Charles K Manka

Jay F Sperry

A spectroscopic detector for identifying the presence of a first substance in the presence of another substance includes a laser for illuminating the substances at a plurality of wavelengths to induce the emission of radiation characteristic of the substance; a spectrometer for measuring the emitted radiation to obtain a plurality of spectral measurement data; and a processor for processing the data. An algorithm combines the data into a composite spectrum and a parameter characteristic of the first substance is identified while information in the composite spectrum contributed by emission of radiation from the other substance is removed to identify the presence of the first substance and obtain a characteristic spectral signature of the first substance. The signature is compared to signatures in a spectral library database, wherein at least some of the library signatures have spectral characteristics differentiated from each other by identifiable spectral characteristics caused by environmental factors.

Growing community of inventors

Frederick, MD, United States of America

Michael R Corson