Mini-lidar sensor for the remote stand-off sensing of chemical/biological substances and method for sensing same

A method for remote, stand-off, in situ spectroscopic detection of a target biological substance disposed on a surface comprising the steps of:

• providing an optical beam transmitter;
• spacing said transmitter a distance from the surface having the target biological substance;
• transmitting an optical detection beam including at least a laser transmission having a wavelength less than 300 nm toward the target biological substance on the surface;
• detecting optical behavior resulting from optical illumination of the target biological substance on the surface;
• and
• analyzing said optical behavior by spectrally resolving inelastically scattered light resulting from optical illumination of the target biological substance to determine characteristics of the target biological substance.

A method for remote, stand-off, and high efficiency spectroscopic detection of biological substances, comprising:

• establishing a co-linear opticaltransmission/detection path between, a combination optical beam transmitter and spectral analyzer and a target including a biological substance;
• transmitting an optical detection beam comprising at least a laser transmission along said path to illuminate said target;
• detecting optical behavior resulting from bombardment of the target within said optical detection path;
• and
• analyzing said optical behavior whereby characteristics of the target are detected.

An apparatus for remote, stand-off, and high efficiency spectroscopic detection of biological and/or chemical substances, comprising:

• an optical beam transmitter which transmits a beam having an axis of transmission to a target, said beam comprising at least a laser emission;
• an optical detector which gathers optical information and has an optical detection path to the target, said path having an axis of optical detection;
• a beam alignment device which fixes said transmitter proximal to said detector and directs said beam to the target along said optical detection path such that said axis of transmission is substantially co-linear with said axis of optical detection;
• and
• an analyzer operatively connected to said detector for receipt of optical information and analysis of same.

A portable sensor for determining the composition of a target including a biological and/or chemical substance spaced a distance from the sensor through Raman spectroscopy comprising:

• an optical beam transmitter which transmits a beam having an axis of transmission to the target, said beam comprising at least a laser emission;
• an optical detector which gathers optical information and has an optical detection path to the target, said path having an axis of optical detection;
• a beam alignment device which fixes said transmitter proximal to said detector and directs said beam to the target along said optical detection path such that said axis of transmission is substantially co-linear with said axis of optical detection;
• an analyzer operatively connected to said detector for receipt of optical information and analysis of same;
• and
• a rigid platform wherein said optical beam transmitter, said optical detector, said beam alignment device, and said analyzer are secured to said platform such that said sensor may be easily transported to a site and aimed toward a target.

A method for remote, stand-off, in situ spectroscopic detection of a target substance disposed on a surface comprising the steps of:

• providing an optical beam transmitter, and an optical beam detector in a portable instrument to permit transportability of the instrument to a predetermined location;
• spacing said transmitter a distance from the surface having the target substance including a biological substance;
• establishing a co-linear optical transmission/detection path between, said optical beam transmitter and said optical detector and the substance
• transmitting an optical detection beam including at least a laser transmission toward the target substance on the surface;
• detecting optical behavior resulting from optical illumination of the target substance on the surface;
• and
• analyzing said optical behavior by spectrally resolving inelastically scattered light resulting from optical illumination of the target substance to determine characteristics of the target substance.

A method for remote, stand-off, and high efficiency spectroscopic detection of solids, liquids and gases, comprising the steps of:

• establishing a co-linear optical transmission/detection path between, a combination optical beam transmitter and spectral analyzer and a target wherein said co-linear optical transmission/detection path includes a transmitted optical beam having an axis which is substantially co-linear with an axis of optical detection;
• transmitting an optical detection beam including at least a laser transmission along said path to illuminate said target;
• detecting optical behavior resulting from bombardment of the target within said optical detection path;
• and
• analyzing said optical behavior whereby characteristics of the target are detected.