Nowadays our and foreign countries are actively developing a direction connected with creation of sensors for detection of explosives on the basis of luminescence quenching effect of conjectured organic polymers. It is based on the mechanism of light-induced transport of an electron from a polymer to a molecule of an explosive.

Among potential advantages of such polymers we should mention low price, compactness, low energy consumption which open us prospects to create miniature devices for detection of explosives and self-sufficient systems of monitoring of condition of different locations and objects.

In MEPhI at the Department of Micro- and Nanosystems a project “Sensor of explosives’ vapours on the basis of conjectured organic polymers incorporated in a photonic crystal of porous silicon” is being conducted under the supervision of Associate Professor of the Department of Micro- and Nanosystems I.N. Martynov as a part of the Grant of the President of the RF for young scientists - candidates of science.

“It is planned to make different options of photonic structures on the basis of porous silicon, choose several polymers perspective in the sense of detection of explosives which have not been applied together with structures on the basis of porous silicon before. We also need to incorporate chosen polymers into these structures and optimize parametres of received sensor element”, - said I.N. Martynov.

Such approach gives a possibility to sharply raise effective surface area of a sensor and purposefully modify the range and diagram of the luminescence direction of a polymer. It will help realise a more effective system of gathering and registration of radiation. Photonic crystals of porous silicon the methods of making of which are now worked out well can be used as such unique porous environment.