Real-time analysis of scattered x-ray spectra for sheet explosives detection

The use of multivariate calibration for the real time analysis of energy dispersive x-ray scatter profiles is being investigated. The requirements of a practical baggage scanner necessitate rapid interrogation and an analysis procedure is required that can differentiate between spectral structure in diffraction profiles in very noisy data. Multivariate analysis has been successfully used to identify sheet explosives in cases with acquisitions as low as several hundred counts. Two detector systems, a high resolution HPGe detector and a room temperature CdZnTe detector, have been used. The precision of the model predictions are highly dependent upon the detector system used producing a significantly smaller error with the high resolution detector.