Improved organic semiconductor explosive sensors for application on minefields

Here we present progress made in the development of an organic semiconductor based sensor system for explosive vapours. The sensors, originally developed in the TIRAMISU project, monitor a change in fluorescence from a polymer film when it is exposed to trace vapours of TNT and similar explosives. The approach could be promising for applications in remote explosive scent trace (REST detection) for the technical survey of mine fields. Successful deployment of the detection system in the field, however, requires an improved method for sample collection and delivery to the sensor, and an approach to address the potential problem of false detection
of distractants. We report here recent progress addressing these challenges.