EAST LANSING, Mich., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Researchers at Michigan State University say they've devised a laser that can detect roadside bombs, the biggest threat to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The laser, with about the same output as a simple presentation pointer, has the sensitivity and selectivity to scan large areas and detect improvised explosive devices that account for around 60 percent of coalition soldiers' deaths, a university release said Friday.
The laser, developed by chemistry Professor Marcos Dantus and MSU colleagues, combines short pulses that cause molecules in the explosives to vibrate, as well as long pulses that are used to "listen" and identify the different vibrations.
Every kind of molecule has different vibrational frequencies that uniquely identify the substance, much like a fingerprint, the researchers said.
"The laser and the method we've developed were originally intended for microscopes, but we were able to adapt and broaden its use to demonstrate its effectiveness for standoff detection of explosives," Dantus said.
The research is being funded in part by the Department of Homeland Security.
