Laser-like sensors could sniff out hidden explosives

London, June 7 (ANI): A physicist has developed a device capable of sniffing out hidden explosives such as TNT.

Graham Turnbull, a physicist at the University of St Andrew's in Fife, UK, and colleagues have developed a device that uses a film of polyfluorene, a plastic that emits laser light when bathed in photons.

Additionally, its reaction with vapours given off by TNT reduces the amount of coherent light the film produces, revealing the presence of the explosive.

According to the New Scientist, it can detect the explosive at concentrations of less than 10 parts per billion in a matter of seconds, and uses a blast of nitrogen gas to clean the film and reset the sensor.

According to the developers, a device like this could be used in a remotely controlled robot. (ANI)