13–19 Jun 2015
University of Alberta
America/Edmonton timezone
Welcome to the 2015 CAP Congress! / Bienvenue au congrès de l'ACP 2015!

Optical Pumping Within a Laser-Induced Plasma to Enhance Trace Element Signal Intensity

17 Jun 2015, 19:06
2m
CCIS Ground Floor PCL lounge (University of Alberta)

CCIS Ground Floor PCL lounge

University of Alberta

Poster (Student, Not in Competition) / Affiche (Étudiant(e), pas dans la compétition) Plasma Physics / Physique des plasmas (DPP) DPP Poster Session with beer / Session d'affiches, avec bière DPP

Speaker

Mr Anthony Piazza (University of Windsor)

Description

In the field of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), it has been shown that trace elements can typically be detected at the parts per million level. However, to decrease the limit of detection further, there is a need to enhance the relatively small spectral lines of the trace elements. The technique of laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) is one of the best tools for providing this enhancement. A wavelength-tunable optical parametric oscillator (OPO) laser is used on resonance to selectively populate an excited state within the laser-induced plasma. Subsequent spontaneous emission will then be increased relative to the un-pumped plasma allowing smaller concentrations to be detected. This poster will present our efforts to demonstrate LIBS-LIF in a LIBS plasma generated by a 10 ns 1064 nm pulsed laser. Initial studies pumped trace zinc in a brass alloy. Parameters investigated included interpulse timing, OPO laser spot size and pulse energy, background gas environment, and plasma observation timing. This technique will be implemented to improve the measurement of trace zinc in fingernails as well as trace elements in bacterial specimens.

Primary author

Mr Anthony Piazza (University of Windsor)

Co-authors

Dylan Malenfant (University of Windsor) Mr Russell Putnam (University of Windsor) Steven Rehse (University of Windsor)

Presentation materials