News story

Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance and Electron Spin Resonance for Explosives and Drugs Detection

The Defence and Security Accelerator is seeking technological solutions to detect Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance Signals with atomic magnetometers and modelling/studies on radiation induced Electron Spin Resonance measurements

From:
Defence and Security Accelerator and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Published
3 October 2023
Last updated
27 October 2023 — See all updates
  • DASA has launched a new Market Exploration: Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance and Electron Spin Resonance for Explosives and Drugs Detection
  • This Market Exploration is being run on behalf of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl)
  • Submissions must be submitted by midday on 5 December 2023 GMT

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Market Exploration, run on behalf of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), that seeks resonance innovations 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. We are therefore seeking innovations that provide next generation Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance and Electron Spin Resonance for Explosives and Drugs Detection in faster time and more variety.

Do you have an innovation? Read the full Market Exploration and submit a proposal.

What technologies is this Market Exploration looking for?

This Market Exploration has two main strands of focus which can be addressed individually:

Strand 1. The development of atomic magnetometers to detect Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance signals typical from explosives and drugs in a practical realisation.

Strand 2. Modelling the feasibility of using ionising radiation to generate free radicals, in explosives which do not naturally contain any, and then detect those radicals with an Electron Spin Resonance measurement.

In particular, we are aiming to identify technologies between Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3-6 to provide a better understanding of existing market capabilities and less mature lines of development across UK and international industry and academia.

Key Dates

The deadline to submit proposals to this Market Exploration is midday on 5 December 2023 GMT.

Submit a proposal

If you have a technological innovative solution that can produce NQR and ESR signals for explosives and drugs detection, submit your proposal below.

Read the full Market Exploration document to learn more and submit a proposal.

Updates to this page

Published 3 October 2023
Last updated 27 October 2023 + show all updates

  1. The deadline has been extended to 5 December 2023 to allow for further submissions. This is shown in the bulleted summary at the beginning of the news story and under the 'Key Dates'.

  2. First published.