A UV fluorescence bio-detector that works ; reminiscing about the>12 km LANL bio-lidar system @ 200 ACPLA
- (Robert R.), Jr.
Sixteen years ago US army ERDEC had the Los Alamos National Laboratory build and operate a portable ultraviolet Lidar for the detection of biological simulants. We were directed to choose a laser that could excite the peak absorption for most simulants in the vicinity of 275 nm. A survey revealed that the lasers available were very complex and of low reliability with low pulse energy from inefficient multi-step conversion systems in the 260- 280 nm region. We realized that signal averaging could not overcome the small signals from low laser energies, and more alarmingly the strong ozone attenuation of the atmosphere would limit any operation to very short ranges. We chose to move to longer wavelengths away from the ozone darkening region and found the very high energy, high efficiency, and simple to operate 800 mJ 200 Hz XeCl Excimer laser. The 307 nm laser wavelength was strongly absorbed by the simulants without photo induced dissociation, and therefore gave very high fluorescent efficiencies and range capabilities over 10 km from a single shot.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 975827
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-01-5829; TRN: US201018%%913
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Submitted to: 5th Joint Conference on Standoff Detection for Chemical and Biological Defense, CB Standoff in an Integrated Futrue, 23-28 Sept., 2001, Williamsburg, VA"
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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A UV FLUORESCENCE BIO-DETECTOR THAT WORKS; REMINISCING ABOUT THE >12km LANL BIO-LIDAR SYSTEM @ 200 ACPLA
Efficient all solid-state UV source for satellite-based lidar applications.