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Updated: Jan 24, 2026

High-resolution Thermal Micro-imaging Using Europium Chelate Luminescent Coatings
Published on: April 16, 2017
Visualization of Fingermarks Deposits on Untreated Thermal Paper Exploiting the Near Infrared Luminescence
Pietro Cappiello1, Francesco Zampa1, Maria Siciliano2
1Raggruppamento Carabinieri Investigazioni Scientifiche, Reparto Investigazioni Scientifiche (R.I.S.), Strada delle Fonderie 10, 43125, Parma, Italy.
Abstract:
Thermal paper is widely used as a print medium for different applications but it constitutes a tricky substrate for fingermark visualization. An earlier work (J Forensic Sci 2015;60:1034) reported how to visualize fingermarks on untreated thermal paper by illuminating the item with a UV-A light source. In the present paper, the potential of the near infrared (NIR) luminescence has been tested on thermal paper compared to the mentioned method. A controlled study was carried out utilizing eccrine enriched fingermarks. The promising outcomes obtained were further confirmed by performing a pseudo-operational trial. Data clearly showed that the use of the NIR filter gave better results. Finally, preliminary tests suggested a different mechanism of reaction induced by fingermarks with respect to the one behind the thermal printing. Thus, NIR luminescence represents a refinement to the suite of optical examination processes, including the potential to increase the number of marks recovered in a noncontact, nondestructive way.
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