The UK’s Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is seeking technological solutions to detect nuclear quadrupole resonance signals with atomic magnetometers and modeling/studies on radiation-induced electron spin resonance measurements. The innovations are being sought to detect explosives and drugs in a variety of operational contexts.
Existing technologies and techniques that currently detect illicit substances are limited in their signal-to-noise (SNR) detection and range of detectable substances. DASA is therefore seeking innovations that provide next-generation nuclear quadrupole resonance and electron spin resonance for explosives and drug detection in less time with more variety.
DASA has announced two specific focus areas to meet these requirements. First, the development of atomic magnetometers to detect nuclear quadrupole resonance signals typically from explosives and drugs in a practical realization. Second, modeling the feasibility of using ionizing radiation to generate free radicals in explosives that do not naturally contain any, and then detecting those radicals with an electron spin resonance measurement.
In particular, DASA aims to identify technologies between technology readiness levels (TRL) 3 and 6 to provide a better understanding of existing market capabilities and less mature lines of development across UK and international industry and academia.
The deadline to submit proposals is midday on November 14, 2023 GMT.
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