Laser system for detection and identification of chemical and biological agents and method therefor
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorRobert R. Rice
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A micro-doppler ladar comprising a tunable laser to identify an unknown constituent of a gaseous cloud or region at a safe distance from the cloud or region. The tunable laser produces a laser beam tunable over a range of different frequencies. Each frequency produces a different vibrational response in the constituent in the gaseous cloud when the cloud or region is illuminated by the laser beam. A micro-doppler ladar system then interprets a back scattered beam to determine the induced vibrations. The determined induced vibrations can then be compared to known vibrations stored in a look-up table to identify the specific constituent(s) in the cloud or region.
Claims20
An apparatus to identify a substance in a gaseous cloud at distance from the gaseous cloud, the apparatus comprising:
- a tunable laser which produces a laser beam tunable to one of a plurality of physical characteristics of laser light such that the substance in the gaseous cloud reacts when illuminated by the laser beam;
- a micro-doppler system which receives a beam of light reflected back from the gaseous cloud;
- a sample signature formed in said reflected beam produced by said reaction;
- a data storage device for storing known signatures of a plurality of different substances;
- a processor for comparing said sample signature with said known signatures and determining whether said sample signature substantially matches any one of said stored known signatures;
- and
- a display system to display a determination made by said processor as to whether said substance in said gaseous cloud comprises one of said different substances corresponding to said known signatures.
A micro-doppler ladar system for determining a constituent of a gas remotely from the gas, the micro-doppler ladar system comprising:
- a tunable laser for generating a tunable laser beam tunable to a plurality of substantially discrete physical characteristics;
- a sample laser which produces a sample laser beam;
- a doppler system that senses said sample laser beam after said sample laser beam has been directed at the gas and reflected from the gas;
- a processing system comprising a memory system and a processor;
- wherein said tunable laser beam provokes a plurality of discrete sample constituent characteristics in the constituent, and wherein each said discrete sample constituent characteristic is provoked by each said discrete physical characteristic of said tunable laser beam;
- wherein said memory system comprises a look-up table including a stored plurality of known constituent characteristics;
- and
- wherein said processor determines the constituent in the gas by comparing said discrete sample constituent characteristics with said known constituent characteristics to determine a match therebetween.
A method of detecting a substance in a gaseous cloud remotely from the cloud, the method comprising;
- providing a laser which is capable of producing a laser light beam which is tunable to a plurality of selectable physical characteristics;
- directing said laser light beam, comprising at least one physical characteristic of a selectable set of physical characteristics, at said gaseous cloud including said substance;
- using said laser light beam to produce a sample physical response in said substance due to said one physical characteristic;
- providing a look-up table of known physical responses and associated known substances;
- and
- determining an identity of said substance in said gaseous cloud by comparing said sample physical response to said look-up table of said known physical responses.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.