Identification of high explosive RDX using terahertz imaging and spectral fingerprints

Abstract

We experimentally investigated the spectral fingerprints of high explosive cyclo-1,3,5- trimethylene-2,4,6-trinitramine (RDX) in terahertz frequency region. A home-made terahertz time-domain spectroscopy ranging from 0.2 THz-; 3.4 THz was deployed. Furthermore, two sample pellets (RDX pellet and polyethylene pellet), which were concealed in an opaque envelop, could be identified by using terahertz pulse imaging system. For the purpose of distinguishing the RDX between two pellets, we further calculated the THz frequency -domain map using its spectral fingerprints. It is demonstrated that the high explosive RDX could similarly be identified using terahertz frequency-domain imaging.