A Non-Destructive Technique for the Analysis of Smartphone Tempered Glass Samples for Forensic Purposes

Saptarshi Rao¹ , Varshini H² , Sudhanshu Shekher Tiwari³ , Prachi J. Kathane⁴

1. School of Forensics, Risk Management & National Security (SFRMNS), Rashtriya Raksha University, Gujarat, India.
2. School of Forensics, Risk Management & National Security (SFRMNS), Rashtriya Raksha University, Gujarat, India.
3. Directorate of Forensic Science and Laboratory, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
4. School of Forensics, Risk Management & National Security (SFRMNS), Rashtriya Raksha University, Gujarat, India.

Section:Research Paper, Product Type: Journal-Paper
Vol.11 , Issue.4 , pp.13-18, Aug-2023

Online published on Aug 31, 2023

Copyright © Saptarshi Rao, Varshini H, Sudhanshu Shekher Tiwari, Prachi J. Kathane . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
 

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Abstract :
Smartphones and their parts/fragments are becoming more common in crime scenes, and are frequently collected as evidence. Tempered glasses are used as screen protectors for mobile phones and other Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs). These tempered glasses can easily break and can be found at the crime scene. Such glass fragments can be recovered in a range of incidents, including hit-and-runs, burglaries, and ram-raids. Tempered glass, unlike other glasses, is still used even if the screen is damaged or cracked, and continues to be used even in that condition. Glass shards obtained at the site of the crime can be compared to bits found on the suspect/victim to ascertain their origin, which can be useful evidence. In this research, the physical and optical properties, along with the elemental composition, of the tempered glasses were analyzed and compared with a standard Soda lime glass. The dimensions, weight, and density of the glass samples were studied. The samples were observed under Stereomicroscope and also examined under Ultraviolet light using a Video Spectral Comparator (VSC). The elemental composition of the samples was examined further using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (ED-XRF). 3D images from the stereomicroscope showed distinct layers in the tempered glass which were absent in Soda lime glass. The densities of the tempered glass samples were similar in the range of 1.5-2 g/cm3 and slightly lower than those of the Soda lime glass. The edges and the superficial surface of the tempered glasses showed fluorescence in different colors and bands in different brands. The tempered glass samples can be distinguished from common Sodalime glass and even differentiated among different brands. Elemental analysis along with other physical examinations can aid in better discrimination of tempered glass samples.

Key-Words / Index Term :
Forensic glass analysis, Smartphone tempered glass, ED-XRF, trace evidence, PEDs.

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