H. Ling

Optical emission in magnetically confined laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Magnetically confined laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy was investigated by studying the optical emission from laser-induced plasma plumes expanding across an external transverse magnetic field. KrF excimer laser pulses with a pulse duration of 23ns and a wavelength of 248nm were used to produce plasmas from Al, Cu, and Co targets. Various optical emission lines obtained from Al and Cu targets show an obvious enhancement in the intensity of optical emission when a magnetic field of ∼0.8T is applied, while the optical emission lines from Co targets show a decrease in the optical emission intensity. The enhancement factors of optical emission lines were measured to be around 2 for the Al and Mn (impurity) lines from Al targets, and 6–8 for Cu lines from Cu targets. Temporal evolution of the optical emission lines from the Al samples shows a maximum enhancement in emission intensity at time delays of 8–20μs after the incident laser pulse, while from the Cu targets it shows a continuous enhancement at time...

Spectroscopic study of laser-induced Al plasmas with cylindrical confinement

The cylindrical confinement of laser-induced plasmas in round pipes has been investigated by optical emission spectra and fast imaging. An obvious enhancement in the emission intensity of Al atomic lines was observed when a round pipe was placed to confine the laser-induced Al plasmas. The enhancement factor for the emission intensities of the Al atomic lines was measured to be around 9 at a time delay of 12μs when the pipe diameter is 10.8mm. Assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium conditions, the plasma temperatures are estimated to be in the range from 4000to5800K. It shows that the plasma temperature increased by around 1000K when the cylindrical confinement was applied. Images of the laser-induced Al plasmas show that the plasmas were compressed into a smaller volume with a pipe presented. The spatial-confinement effects are attributed to the reflection and compression of the shock wave.

Spatial confinement effects in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

The spatial confinement effects in laser-induced breakdown of aluminum (Al) targets in air have been investigated both by optical emission spectroscopy and fast photography. A KrF excimer laser was used to produce plasmas from Al targets in air. Al atomic emission lines show an obvious enhancement in the emission intensity when a pair of Al-plate walls were placed to spatially confine the plasma plumes. Images of the Al plasma plumes showed that the plasma plumes evolved into a torus shape and were compressed in the Al walls. The mechanism for the confinement effects was discussed using shock wave theory.

Detection of trace phosphorus in steel using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy combined with laser-induced fluorescence

Monitoring of light-element concentration in steel is very important for quality assurance in the steel industry. In this work, detection in open air of trace phosphorus (P) in steel using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) combined with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) has been investigated. An optical parametric oscillator wavelength-tunable laser was used to resonantly excite the P atoms within plasma plumes generated by a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. A set of steel samples with P concentrations from 3.9 to 720 parts in 10(6) (ppm) were analyzed using LIBS-LIF at wavelengths of 253.40 and 253.56 nm for resonant excitation of P atoms and fluorescence lines at wavelengths of 213.55 and 213.62 nm. The calibration curves were measured to determine the limit of detection for P in steel, which is estimated to be around 0.7 ppm. The results demonstrate the potential of LIBS-LIF to meet the requirements for on-line analyses in open air in the steel industry.

Enhanced chemical vapor deposition of diamond by wavelength-matched vibrational excitations of ethylene molecules using tunable CO2 laser irradiation

Wavelength-matched vibrational excitations of ethylene (C2H4) molecules using a tunable carbon dioxide (CO2) laser were employed to significantly enhance the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of diamond in open air using a precursor gas mixture of C2H4, acetylene (C2H2), and oxygen (O2). The CH2-wag vibration mode (ν7) of the C2H4 molecules was selected to achieve the resonant excitation in the CVD process. Both laser wavelengths of 10.591 and 10.532 μm were applied to the CVD processes to compare the C2H4 excitations and diamond depositions. Compared with 10.591 μm produced by common CO2 lasers, the laser wavelength of 10.532 μm is much more effective to excite the C2H4 molecules through the CH2-wag mode. Under the laser irradiation with a power of 800 W and a wavelength of 10.532 μm, the grain size in the deposited diamond films was increased by 400% and the film thickness was increased by 300%. The quality of the diamond crystals was also significantly enhanced.

Laser-induced resonant excitation of ethylene molecules in C2H4/C2H2/O2 reactions to enhance diamond deposition

Vibrational resonant excitation of ethylene (C2H4) molecules using a carbon dioxide laser was employed to promote reactions in precursors of ethylene, acetylene (C2H2), and oxygen to enhance diamond deposition. One of the vibrational modes (CH2 wag mode, v7) of the C2H4 molecules was selected to achieve the resonant excitation in the reactions. Optical emission spectroscopy was used to study the effects of laser resonant excitation on the reactions for diamond deposition. The optical emissions of CH and C2 species were enhanced with the laser excitation, indicating that there are more active species generated in the reactions. Thicknesses and grain sizes of the deposited films were increased correspondingly. Temperature calculations from the line set in the R-branch of CH emission spectra indicated that a nonthermal process is involved in the enhanced diamond deposition.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy with high detection sensitivity

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with spatial confinement and LIBS combined with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) have been investigated to improve the detection sensitivity and selectivity of LIBS. An obvious enhancement in the emission intensity of Al atomic lines was observed when a cylindrical wall was placed to spatially confine the plasma plumes. The maximum enhancement factor for the emission intensity of Al atomic lines was measured to be around 10. Assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium conditions, the plasma temperatures are estimated to be in the range from 4000 to 5800 K. It shows that the plasma temperature increased by around 1000 K when the cylindrical confinement was applied. Fast imaging of the laser-induced Al plasmas shows that the plasmas were compressed into a smaller volume with a pipe presented. LIBS-LIF has been investigated to overcome the matrix effects in LIBS for the detection of trace uranium in solids. A wavelength-tunable laser with an optical parametric oscillator was used to resonantly excite the uranium atoms and ions within the plasma plumes generated by a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. Both atomic and ionic lines can be selected to detect their fluorescence lines. A uranium concentration of 462 ppm in a glass sample can be detected using this technique at an excitation wavelength of 385.96 nm for resonant excitation of U II and a fluorescence line wavelength of 409.01 nm from U II. The mechanism of spatial confinement effects and the influence of relevant operational parameters of LIBS-LIF are discussed.

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Combined With Spatial Confinement of Plasmas and Laser-Induced Fluoresence for Trace-Materials Detection

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with spatial confinement effects and LIBS combined with laser-induced fluorescence (LIBS-LIF) have been investigated to improve the detection sensitivity and element-selectivity of LIBS. An obvious enhancement in the emission intensity of aluminum (Al) atomic lines was observed when a cylindrical wall was placed to spatially confine the plasma plumes. The maximum enhance factor for the emission intensity of Al atomic lines was measured to be around 10. Assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium conditions, the plasma temperatures are estimated to be in a range from 4,000 to 5,800 K. It shows that the plasma temperature increased by around 1,000 K when the cylindrical confinement was applied. Fast images of the laser-induced Al plasmas show that the plasmas were compressed into a smaller volume with a pipe presented. LIBS-LIF has been investigated to overcome the matrix effects of LIBS for the detection of trace uranium (U) in solids. An optical parametric oscillator wavelength-tunable laser was used to resonantly excite the uranium atoms and ions within the plasma plumes generated by a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. Both atomic and ionic lines can be selected to detect their fluorescence lines. A U concentration of 462 ppm in a glass sample can be detected using this technique at an excitation wavelength of 385.96 nm for resonant excitation of U II and a fluorescence line wavelength of 409.01 nm from U II. The mechanism of spatial confinement effects and the influence of relevant operational parameters of LIBS-LIF are discussed. In this work, detection in open air of trace phosphorus (P) in steels using LIBS-LIF has also been investigated. The optical parametric oscillator laser was used to resonantly excite the P atoms within plasma plumes generated by the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. A set of steel samples with P concentrations from 3.9 to 720 ppm were analyzed using LIBS-LIF at wavelengths of 253.40 and 253.56 nm for resonant excitation of P atoms and fluorescence lines at wavelengths of 213.55 and 213.62 nm. The calibration curves were measured to determine the limit of detection for P in steels, which is estimated to be around 0.7 ppm.Copyright

KrF excimer laser-assisted combustion-flame deposition of diamond films

Cobalt (Co) composition has detrimental effects on the deposition of diamond films on cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Co) substrates. It decreases adhesion of the deposited films to the substrates and causes a transformation of sp3-bonded diamond to sp2-bonded graphite. In this study, a KrF excimer laser with a wavelength of 248nm, a pulse width of 23ns, and a pulse energy range of 84–450mJ was used in the combustion-flame method to improve the quality of the deposited diamond films. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, and Raman spectroscopy of the deposited films showed that a laser irradiation during combustion-flame deposition of diamond decreased the cobalt composition drastically. Based on the experimental results, the influence of the laser irradiation on the deposition process was analyzed.

C2 and CH rotational temperatures in diamond growth using CO2 laser-assisted combustion-flames

Excited C2 and CH species occur abundantly in diamond growth using C2H2/O2, C2H2/C2H4/O2 and C2H4/O2 flames. The irradiation of some flames by a continuous-wave (CW) CO2 laser beam has resulted in increased optical emission intensity from the excited species and a change in the physical appearance of the flames due to resonant absorption of laser energy. Gas temperature in the flames is one of the most important parameters in the application of diamond growth. In atmospheric plasmas, the gas kinetic temperature is closely related to the rotational temperature of radical species in the plasmas. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) was used to obtain molecular spectra of the excited C2 and CH species in the flames for a fixed gas of C2H2/C2H4/O2 flame at several laser energies. The rotational temperatures of CH were calculated using the Boltzmann plot method. In addition, synthetic C2 molecular spectra were compared with the experimental spectra to obtain temperature by the intensity ratio of selected spectrum components. For each condition, the temperatures obtained using these methods were correlated with the quality, grain size, and growth speed of diamond films on cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Co) substrates.