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Title: Diagnostic and normalization techniques for laser-generated plumes based on beam deflection and photoacoustic wave measurements

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6343275

Because of its excellent spatial resolution and sensitivity, the laser microprobe analyzer (LMA) has become an indispensable tool for direct solid analysis. The laser microprobe has been hyphenated to a variety of analytical techniques, in particular, optical spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. However, despite its widespread use, it suffers from relatively poor precision and accuracy. To better understand the laser-solid interactions, especially for those neutral and nonemitting plume species, a new universal detector is developed. The density gradient associated with the transient atomization event is intercepted by a probe laser beam, resulting in beam deflection (BD) in far field. Both the shape and magnitude of the BD signal agree well with the predictions based on a plume model with a radially linear density profile. The probe laser beam can be well focused on the plume, generating a BD signal in a single pass, so both spatial and temporal resolutions are excellent. The plume dynamics (expansions and drift), the spatial density profile, and the amount of evaporated material can be derived with a limit of detection of 1 ng. This technique compares favorably with interferometry for diagnostics of transient atomization events and will find widespread applications. The correlation between atomic emission and photoacoustic wave associated with laser-generated plumes is investigated. Over a widely varied vaporization conditions including laser power, focusing, surface treatment and, to a limited extent, chemical compositions, the amplitude of the photoacoustic wave is linearly related to the atomic emission intensities of both major and minor components. 253 refs., 17 figs.

Research Organization:
Ames Lab., IA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-82
OSTI ID:
6343275
Report Number(s):
IS-T-1403; ON: DE89007675
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.). Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English