A method for non-contact analyte detection by selectively exciting one or more analytes of interest using an IR source optionally operated to produce pulses of light and tuned to at least one specific absorption band without significantly decomposing organic analytes and determining if the analyte is present by comparing emitted photons with an IR detector signal collected one or more times before, during, or after, exciting the analyte. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for non-contact analyte detection by selectively exciting analytes of interest using one or more IR sources that are optionally operated to produce pulses of light and tuned to at least one specific wavelength without significantly decomposing organic analytes, wherein the analyte is excited sufficiently to increase the amount of analyte in the gas phase, and wherein the content of the gas is examined to detect the presence of the analyte.