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Development of latent fingerprints using preferential DC sputter deposition
1Forensic Services Division, Australian Federal Police, Canberra.
Forensic Science International
|March 21, 1995
Summary
DC metal sputtering effectively develops latent fingerprints by depositing metal onto ridges. Platinum sputtering demonstrated superior sensitivity and results compared to other metals and traditional methods for aged prints.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Materials Science
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Latent fingerprint development is crucial for forensic investigations.
- Traditional methods face limitations with aged or difficult substrates.
- Metal deposition techniques offer potential for enhanced fingerprint visualization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate DC metal sputtering for latent fingerprint development.
- To compare the efficacy of different metals (copper, zinc, platinum, gold).
- To assess platinum sputtering against established methods for aged fingerprints.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a DC metal sputtering process with thermalized atoms.
- Tested four metals: copper, zinc, platinum, and gold on polythene substrates.
- Compared platinum sputtering with cyanoacrylate fuming and rhodamine-6G staining for 1-year-old prints.
Main Results:
- DC metal sputtering preferentially deposits metal onto fingerprint ridges.
- Platinum exhibited superior performance for latent fingerprint development on clear polythene.
- Platinum sputtering showed significantly higher sensitivity and better results than cyanoacrylate fuming for aged prints.
Conclusions:
- DC metal sputtering is a viable technique for latent fingerprint development.
- Platinum sputtering offers a highly sensitive and effective method, particularly for challenging, aged fingerprint deposits.