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Spatiotemporal evaluation of plasma parameters and assessment of LTE during LIBS analysis of a zinc-based alloy

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Abstract

In the present contribution, a spectroscopic investigation is used to study a plasma generated by fundamental radiation from a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser focused onto a zinc-based alloy. The quantification using calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF-LIBS) relies on the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). The main objectives of this research are to investigate the spatial and temporal evolution of plasma parameters (Te, Ne) and assess the fulfillment of LTE conditions within specific regions. For an accurate plasma parameters estimation, only delay times ranging from 0.8 to 6 µs and for axial distances from 0.6 to 2.6 mm were chosen. Under these conditions, spectra were characterized by atomic and ionic emissions. Plasma temperature values were determined using the Saha–Boltzmann method applied to neutral and singly ionized copper lines, while the electron number density was calculated using the Stark broadened profile of the Hα line, according to the Gigosos relation. The LTE condition was warranted using the McWhirter criterion as long as two other conditions, which take into account the transient and heterogeneous nature of the plasma. CF-LIBS quantification was carried out under optimized spatiotemporal conditions and was compared with micro-X-ray fluorescence measurements. The relative error values of CF-LIBS quantification indicate an acceptable precision of our preliminary results.

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Funding

Funding was provided by Direction Générale de la Recherche Scientifique et du Développement Technologique (Grant no. 491).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire physique des rayonnements, faculté de physique, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene USTHB, El-Alia, Bab Ezzouar, BP 32, 16111, Alger, Algeria

    Noura Lellouche & Abdelhamid Kellou

  2. Centre de Développement des Technologies Avancées, Division Milieux Ionisés and Laser, Cité du 20 Août 1956, Baba Hassen, BP 17, Alger, Algeria

    Kenza Yahiaoui & Sabrina Messaoud Aberkane

Authors
  1. Noura Lellouche
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  2. Kenza Yahiaoui
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  3. Abdelhamid Kellou
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  4. Sabrina Messaoud Aberkane
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Contributions

Conceptualization, SMA; methodology, NL, KY, AK, SMA; data curation, NL, KY, SMA; writing—review and editing, NL, KY, AK, SMA.

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Correspondence to Sabrina Messaoud Aberkane.

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Lellouche, N., Yahiaoui, K., Kellou, A. et al. Spatiotemporal evaluation of plasma parameters and assessment of LTE during LIBS analysis of a zinc-based alloy. Appl. Phys. B 129, 136 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-023-08079-8

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