Main > A1. CORP. INDEX. On-Oz > Osaka University/P C2 > 2005. 10.03.2005. THz Spectroscopy
THz spectroscopy methods for detecting explosives also are being studied at Osaka University in Japan. Kohji Yamamoto, a postdoc at the university s Institute of Laser Engineering, reported that small amounts of the powerful explosive C-4 hidden in sealed envelopes are readily detected by the compound s THz fingerprint (from 590 cm-1) (Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 2004, 43, L414). Yamamoto pointed out that C-4, which is composed of about 90% RDX and has been fingered in numerous terrorist bombings, cannot be detected via X-ray methods or metal detectors.
In a related study, Yamamoto showed that THz spectroscopy is useful in analyzing chiral compounds. Specifically, he reported that the pure enantiomers L- and D-alanine are easily distinguished from the racemic mixture (Appl. Phys. Lett. 2005, 86, 053903). The finding underscores the sensitivity of THz spectroscopy to crystal structure, which may be attractive to pharmaceutical researchers for identifying crystal polymorphs.
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