1. A detection system, comprising: a transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic energy at two or more wavelengths, wherein the electromagnetic energy has a selected polarization state; a receiver configured to receive scattered electromagnetic energy that has been scattered by a material illuminated by the transmitted electromagnetic energy, and measure the received scattered electromagnetic energy at two or more polarization states and two or more wavelengths; a processor configured to combine the measured scattered electromagnetic energy at the two or more polarization states and the two or more wavelengths into two or more different combinations to obtain input parameters, and to classify the material illuminated by the transmitted electromagnetic energy based on the input parameters.