Neutralisation of antipersonnel mines with an Nd:YAG laser

Willy A. Luethy; Thomas Rothacher

doi:10.1117/12.581182

23 December 2004 Neutralisation of antipersonnel mines with an Nd:YAG laser

Willy A. Luethy, Thomas Rothacher

Proceedings Volume 5620, Solid State Laser Technologies and Femtosecond Phenomena; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.581182
Event: European Symposium on Optics and Photonics for Defence and Security, 2004, London, United Kingdom

Abstract

We report on the possibility to use lasers as a demining tool to dispose mines from a safe distance. Most anti personnel (AP) mines consist of 10 g to 500 g of an explosive, a fuse and a plastic case which makes them very difficult to detect. In 90% of all AP mines trinitrotoluene (TNT) or a combination of TNT and other explosives is used. The interaction of laser radiation with TNT and possible mine wrapping materials is investigated based on spectroscopy and practical considerations. With a CW Nd:YAG laser the desired burning of the explosive is achieved. The interaction is rather based on the absorption of the mine case than on the weak absorption of the explosive. A portable CW Nd:YAG laser is described and experiments with real AP mines are performed. We have investigated the behavior of four different representative blast AP mines under laser irradiation at Bofors test centre in Sweden. Disposal of all available mines from a safe distance up to 50 meters is achieved. Laser incident power was in the range from 20 W to 60 W. Due to partial burning of the explosive charge the resulting detonation of mines is considerably reduced.

Citation Download Citation

Willy A. Luethy and Thomas Rothacher "Neutralisation of antipersonnel mines with an Nd:YAG laser", Proc. SPIE 5620, Solid State Laser Technologies and Femtosecond Phenomena, (23 December 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.581182

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