Controlled substance detection and identification system

1. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

at least one laser for illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy at a first wavelength;

a second harmonic detector for detecting laser energy scattered from said object to detect scattered laser energy having a second wavelength which is a second harmonic of said first wavelength, wherein detection of scattered laser energy having a second wavelength which is a second harmonic of said first wavelength indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object; and

at least one additional controlled substance detector comprising at least one of a time-resolved luminescence controlled substance detector for detecting luminescence produced by impingement of said laser energy, wherein detection of luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object, and a Raman scattering controlled substance detector, for detecting Raman scattering produced by impingement of said laser energy.

2. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 1 and also comprising:

logic operative in response to outputs of said second harmonic detector and said at least one additional controlled substance detector to provide an enhanced output indication of a possibility that one or more controlled substances may be present.

3. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

a laser for illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy at a wavelength of at least one of 355 nm and 266 nm; and

a time-resolved luminescence controlled substance detector for detecting luminescence produced by impingement of said laser energy, wherein detection of luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object.

4. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

a laser for illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy;

a time-resolved luminescence controlled substance detector for detecting luminescence produced by impingement of said laser energy, wherein detection of luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object; and

a Raman scattering controlled substance detector for detecting Raman scattering produced by impingement of said laser energy.

5. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 4 and also comprising:

logic operative in response to outputs of said luminescence controlled substance detector and Raman scattering controlled substance detector to provide an enhanced output indication of a possibility that one or more controlled substances may be present.

6. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

at least one laser for illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy at a first wavelength; and

a time-resolved second harmonic detector for detecting laser energy scattered from said object to detect scattered laser energy having a second wavelength which is a second harmonic of said first wavelength, wherein detection of scattered laser energy having a second wavelength which is a second harmonic of said first wavelength indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object.

7. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 1 and wherein said Raman scattering controlled substance detector is a time-resolved detector.

8. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 4 and wherein said Raman scattering controlled substance detector is a time-resolved detector.

9. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

a laser for illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy; and

a time-resolved luminescence controlled substance detector for detecting luminescence produced by impingement of said laser energy, wherein detection of luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object,

said system being an imagewise system.

10. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

a laser for illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy; and

a time-resolved luminescence controlled substance detector for detecting luminescence produced by impingement of said laser energy, wherein detection of luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object,

said system being a non-imagewise system.

11. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 1 and also comprising a controlled substance identifier.

12. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

a laser for illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy;

a time-resolved luminescence controlled substance detector for detecting luminescence produced by impingement of said laser energy, wherein detection of luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object; and

a controlled substance identifier.

13. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 4 and also comprising a controlled substance identifier.

14. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 11 and wherein said controlled substances identifier employs at least one of time-resolved luminescence and time-resolved Raman scattering.

15. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 13 and wherein said controlled substances identifier employs at least one of time-resolved luminescence and time-resolved Raman scattering.

16. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 14 and wherein said controlled substances identifier also employs time-resolved laser induced breakdown spectroscopy for enhanced identification.

17. A system for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 15 and wherein said controlled substances identifier also employs time-resolved laser induced breakdown spectroscopy for enhanced identification.

18. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy at a first wavelength; and

detecting scattered laser energy from said object having a second wavelength which is a second harmonic of said first wavelength, wherein said detecting indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object; and

at least one of detecting, in a time-resolved manner, luminescence produced by impingement of said laser energy, wherein said detecting luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object, and detecting Raman scattering produced by impingement of said laser energy.

19. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 18 and also comprising:

providing an enhanced output indication of a possibility that one or more controlled substances may be present in response to said detecting scattered laser energy having a second wavelength which is a second harmonic of said first wavelength and said detecting at least one of luminescence produced and Raman scattering produced.

20. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy at a wavelength of at least one of 355 nm and 266 nm; and

detecting, in a time-resolved manner, luminescence produced by impingement of said laser energy, wherein said detecting luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object.

21. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy;

detecting, in a time-resolved manner, luminescence produced by impingement of said laser energy, wherein said detecting luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object; and

detecting Raman scattering produced by impingement of said laser energy.

22. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 21 and also comprising:

providing an enhanced output indication of a possibility that one or more controlled substances may be present in response to said detecting luminescence and said detecting Raman scattering.

23. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy at a first wavelength; and

detecting scattered laser energy from said object having a second wavelength which is a second harmonic of said first wavelength, wherein said detecting indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object;

said detecting scattered laser energy having a second wavelength which is a second harmonic comprising detecting in a time-resolved manner.

24. A method for detecting controlled substances on an, object according to claim 18 and wherein said detecting Raman scattering comprises detecting in a time-resolved manner.

25. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 21 and wherein said detecting Raman scattering comprises detecting in a time-resolved manner.

26. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy;

detecting, in a time-resolved manner, luminescence produced by impingement of said laser energy, wherein said detecting luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object;

displaying an image of said object on a display; and

visually indicating at least one location of said controlled substance on said display.

27. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 18 and also comprising identifying said controlled substances.

28. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object comprising:

illuminating at least part of an object with laser energy;

detecting, in a time-resolved manner, luminescence produced by impingement of said laser energy, wherein said detecting luminescence indicates that one or more controlled substances may be present on said object; and

identifying said controlled substances.

29. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 21 and also comprising identifying said controlled substances.

30. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 27 and wherein said identifying comprises employing at least one of time-resolved luminescence identification and time-resolved Raman scattering identification.

31. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 29 and wherein said identifying comprises employing at least one of time-resolved luminescence identification and time-resolved Raman scattering identification.

32. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 30 and wherein said identifying comprises employing time-resolved laser induced breakdown spectroscopy for enhanced identification.

33. A method for detecting controlled substances on an object according to claim 31 and wherein said identifying comprises employing time-resolved laser induced breakdown spectroscopy for enhanced identification.