Patent · US Expired

Detection of explosives by nuclear quadrupole resonance

US5206592A · kind A · utility

81Cited by
4References
19Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 23, 1991
Grant dateApr 27, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 23, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R33/441
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A system and method for detecting a class of explosives and narcotics containing nitrogen in a specimen by nuclear quadrupole resonance which improves the selectivity, sensitivity and spatial localization over conventional detection systems. As a result, sub-kilogram quantities of explosives and narcotics against a background of more benign materials may be detected by the nuclear quadrupole resonance system and method. Also, by the use of a meanderline surface coil, the electrical and magnetic fields will fall off rapidly over a short distance so that a localized region may be scanned and people may be scanned without depositing substantial RF power into the body. Furthermore, by using a strong off-resonance comb (SORC) irradiation sequence, the signal-to-noise ratio of the detected signal is improved for obtaining a more accurate detection signal from the specimen.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.