2026-01-29 理化学研究所,兵庫県立大学
放射光軟X線光電子顕微鏡法（PEEM）による高熱を受けた変性指紋試料からの指紋の検出
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.riken.jp/press/2026/20260129_3/index.html
- https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2026/an/d5an01158b
シンクロトロン放射軟X線光電子顕微鏡による加熱潜在指紋の可視化 Visualization of heated latent fingerprints by synchrotron radiation soft X-ray photoemission electron microscopy
Satoru Hamamoto,Masahisa Takatsu,Hiroyuki Fujiwara,Hideya Okada,Takuo Ohkochi,Shimpei Watanabe, Masaki Oura and Yasuo Seto
Analysis Published:23 Jan 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/D5AN01158B
Abstract
Fingerprint testing is routine for personal identification, but damaged prints, such as those exposed to heat in fire cases, are difficult to visualize. Currently, there is no method available to visualize severely heat-damaged fingerprints. We developed a visualization technique using synchrotron radiation (SR) soft-X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM). Fingerprints on silicon, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and glass were heated at 400 °C for an hour and then examined. Ridge patterns could not be seen by optical microscopy, laser microscopy, or scanning electron microscopy, except on silicon. Even then, SR PEEM revealed ridge patterns by detecting sodium particles (∼1 μm) clustered into 10 μm spots. Multiple images were combined to successfully produce a clear 5 mm-wide ridge pattern. For the glass substrate, prior titanium vapor deposition prevented electric discharge, resulting in a clear ridge pattern observation by SR PEEM. Unlike conventional methods, SR soft-X-ray PEEM detects sodium sensitively and specifically, producing clear ridge patterns in heat-damaged fingerprints, which is promising for advanced criminal fingerprint testing.
