Recent Advances in Trace Explosives Detection Instrumentation

There has been a huge increase in instrument development for trace detection of explosives in the past 3 years. This is especially true for methods that can be used at a stand off distance, driven by the frightening increase in the use of improvised explosive devices in both suicide and road side bombings. This review attempts to outline and enumerate these recent developments, with details about the improvements made as well as where further improvements might come.