Spectroscopic characterization of laser induced breakdown in Al-Li alloy samples for quantitative determination of traces

J.M. GOMBA, C. D’ANGELO, D. BERTUCCELLI, G. BERTUCCELLI

SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART B-ATOMIC SPECTROSCOPY

Elsevier Science

Año: 2001 vol. 56 p. 695 - 705

0584-8547

We present here the results of the application of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy LIBS to a sample of a solid aluminum-lithium alloy, in which the latter component is at a very low concentration and whose proportion should be determined. The samples were placed in a vacuum chamber filled with a controlled xenon atmosphere, and the emission lines of this element were used to determine the electronic density and temperature of the laser generated plasma. Then, by means of a specially designed algorithm, it is possible to quantify the lithium content in the sample. The laser produced aluminum-lithium alloy plasma was generated by a pulsed Nd :YAG laser (50 mJ) the pulse repetition frequency used was varied according to requirement from 1 to 20 Hz. Satisfactory results were obtained for the analytical determination of lithium contents in aluminum-lithium alloys. The lithium concentration was determined in values as low as 300-400 ppm.