Standoff Detection of Explosives Using Compressive-Sensing-Enabled Raman Spectral Imaging

Raman spectral imaging finds extensive application across diverse domains, including medical science, pharmaceuticals, and chemical detection. Acquiring multidimensional Raman images through line or point scanning is notably time-consuming. This article presents a novel approach for Raman spectral imaging to detect explosives using a compressive sensing (CS)-based single-pixel camera (SPC) framework. We have demonstrated Raman imaging of explosive materials at a standoff distance of 4 m using a charge-coupled device-based spectrometer. A green laser illuminates the target samples, and a digital micromirror device (DMD) spatially modulates the Raman light emitted from the investigated scene or object. A synchronization circuit ensures the coordination of the DMD-coded mask pattern, and spectrometer, facilitating efficient spectral imaging. This design promises affordable, fast, and enhanced detection and identification of explosive materials at standoff distance. The proposed model, which is the amalgamation of Raman spectral imaging using a charge-coupled device-based spectrometer and CS framework, is the first of its kind, to the best of our knowledge, to carry out the detection of explosives at standoff distances.