LIBS Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, is a sensitive technique that provides information on the elemental composition of the analyses, and has demonstrated its capability to identify micrograms of explosives over a surface at standoff distances of more than 30 metres. However it requires a quite complex signal and data processing to minimise the influence of surrounding air and other confusing factors.

The limitations of standoff LIBS technique lie in the difficulties of obtaining enough energy density at long distance, in the limited light gathering capability of the light collection system and in the light attenuation with distance under severe weather conditions (heavy fog, heavy rain, snow). The energy density at the target is a function of the distance (inversely proportional) and of the focussing mirror (or lens) diameter (directly proportional). The sensitivity of the light collection increases with the sensitivity of the detector and with the collection diameter.  

The diffuse light of plasma is attenuated by the distance as the inverse square law. In spite of these limitations, at the present time LIBS is one of the few available technologies that offers the capacity of detection of explosive traces and other materials at significant distances in standoff mode of operation. Also the portability of these systems would make possible the detection of explosives in real scenarios.  

Since background noise often obscures explosive identification, field trials in uncontrolled environments will be performed. Thus, with OPTIX a better understanding of the sensor response to environmental parameters will be gained in an attempt to adapt the technology to real threat characteristics. Moreover, the knowledge existing in UMA will be used in OPTIX in order to develop an application focused research in LIBS (towards standoff detection of explosives) which has not been done yet.