Laser photothermal diagnostics of genuine and counterfeit British and United States banknotes
Date
1997ISSN
0091-3286Source
Optical EngineeringVolume
36Issue
2Pages
400-407Google Scholar check
Keyword(s):
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Laser-induced, frequency-scanned IR photothermal radiometry was used to investigate the thermophysical properties of the paper on which several genuine and counterfeit British (pound 10) and U.S. ($50, $100) currency bills were printed. The radiometric photothermal amplitudes and phases were further compared with a theoretical model, which yielded simultaneous quantitative measurements of the thermal diffusivities and conductivities of the bills. Both statistical and single-specimen results demonstrated the excellent thermophysical resolution of the technique with prospects for its use in the nonintrusive, on-line identification of counterfeit banknotes. (C) 1997 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.