Denis Menut

Micro-laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technique: a powerful method for performing quantitative surface mapping on conductive and nonconductive samples

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been applied mainly to bulk analysis of solids, liquids, and gases and less frequently for elemental microanalysis of solid surfaces. A micro-LIBS device devoted to analysis of the distribution of elements on surfaces is described. This device offers rapid access with a 3-microm spatial resolution to the microchemical structures of both conductive and nonconductive samples. Quantitative microchemical results of applications to ceramics are reported. By the use of a time-resolved acquisition spectrum, cerium in a uranium matrix was characterized with a cerium detection limit of 1.14%. Calibration curves obtained with manipulations during 1 year facilitated evaluations of reproducibility and repeatability. A 2% single-shot repeatability with a calibration reproducibility of approximately 7% is reported.

Analysis by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy of complex solids, liquids, and powders with an echelle spectrometer

One of the most promising approaches to laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) experiments involves the use of an echelle spectrometer coupled with an intensified CCD. Even if drawbacks remain with its use, the echelle spectrometer facilitates a multielemental analysis that is more rapid than can be obtained with the more-conventional Czerny-Turner spectrometer and, moreover, does not sacrifice reliability. Quantitative results obtained with such apparatus for solids, liquids, powders, and gases are described and when possible compared with results from Czerny-Turner spectrometers. Liquid analysis by LIBS with echelle spectrometers has allowed a spectral database to be compiled. Once the qualitative spectra of pure elements in aqueous solutions, are obtained, they can be used for qualitative analysis of unknown samples.

X-ray absorption spectroscopy investigations on radioactive matter using MARS beamline at SOLEIL synchrotron

Abstract The MARS beamline at the SOLEIL synchrotron is dedicated to the characterization of radioactive material samples. One great advantage of the beamline is the possibility to characterize about 380 radionuclides by different X-ray techniques in the same place. This facility is unique in Europe. A wide energy range from around 3.5 keV to 36 keV K-edges from K to Cs, and L3 edges from Cd to Am and beyond can be used. The MARS beamline is optimized for X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques (XANES/EXAFS), powder diffraction (XRD) but x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, High Energy Resolution Fluorescence Detected -XAS (HERFD-XAS), X-ray Emission (XES) and μ-XAS/XRD are also possible. A description of the beamline as well as its performances are given in a first part. Then some scientific examples of XAS studies from users are presented which cover a wide variety of topics in radiochemistry and nuclear materials.

Analysis by LIBS of complex solids, liquids and powders with an echelle spectrometer

1. Introduction. Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) due to its principle where only laser photons are sent to the target and photons emitted by the plasma are detected can allow direct and in situ measurements of numerous elements in complex materials. LIBS has been applied for experiments on liquids [1] and different materials [2] but the use of an echelle spectrometer in the different experimental set-up is rather sparse [3, 4, 5]. The subject of this paper is to show the high potentiality of a commercial echelle spectrometer for multielemental analysis by LIBS and to compare detection limits obtained with such system and with a standard Czerny Turner spectrometer.