Effect of atmosphere on collinear double-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Conference · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 2010

OSTI ID:1013702

Effenberger, Jr, Andrew J; Scott, Jill R

Double pulse laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (DP-LIBS) has been shown to enhance LIBS spectra. Several researches have reported significant increases in signal-to-noise and or spectral intensity [1-4]. In addition to DP-LIBS, atmospheric conditions can also increase spectra intensity. For example, Iida [5] found that He and Ar both increase LIBS intensity compared to air at one 1 atm. It was also found that as the pressure was decreased to 100 Torr, LIBS intensity increased in Ar and air for single pulse (SP) LIBS. In this study, a collinear DP-LIBS scheme is used along with manipulation of the atmospheric conditions. The DP-LIBS scheme consists of a 355 nm ablative pulse fired into a sample contained in a vacuum chamber. A second analytical 1064 nm pulse is then fired 100 ns to 10 µs after and along the same path of the first pulse. Ar, He and air at pressures ranging from atmospheric pressure (630 Torr at elevation) to 10-5 Torr are introduced during DP-LIBS and SP-LIBS experiments. For a brass sample, a significant increase in spectral intensity of Cu and Zn lines were observed in DP-LIBS under Ar compared to DP-LIBS in air (Figure 1). It was also found that Cu and Zn lines acquired with SP-LIBS in Ar are nearly as intense as DP-LIBS in air. Signal-to-noise for lines from various samples will be reported for both DP-LIBS and SP-LIBS in Ar, He, and air at pressures ranging from 630 Torr to 10-5 Torr.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1013702
• Report Number(s): INL/CON-10-18872
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
AIR
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
Argon
Atmospheric
BRASS
BREAKDOWN
Double pulse
Helium
LASERS
LIBS
Pressure
SPECTRA
SPECTROSCOPY
Single pulse