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Measurement and Analysis of Atomic Hydrogen and Diatomic Molecular AlO, C2, CN, and TiO Spectra Following Laser-induced Optical Breakdown
Published on: February 14, 2014
Long-wave, infrared laser-induced breakdown (LIBS) spectroscopy emissions from energetic materials
Clayton S-C Yang1, Ei E Brown, Uwe Hommerich
1Battelle Eastern Science and Technology Center, Aberdeen, MD 21001, USA.
Applied Spectroscopy
|December 13, 2012
Summary
This study demonstrates novel mid-infrared and long-wave infrared Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) for explosive sensing. Distinct long-wave infrared LIBS signatures from molecular fragments were observed for the first time.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Spectroscopy
- Materials Science
Background:
- Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is a promising technique for chemical, biological, and explosives sensing.
- Real-time standoff detection and analysis are significant goals for LIBS applications.
- Conventional LIBS typically operates in the ultraviolet-visible spectrum.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of mid-infrared (MIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) spectral regions for explosive material sensing using LIBS.
- To identify unique spectral signatures indicative of explosive compounds and their breakdown products in the IR spectrum.
- To investigate the feasibility of using a mercury-cadmium-telluride detector for MIR-LWIR LIBS.
Main Methods:
- Obtained LIBS emissions in the MIR and LWIR spectral regions (4–12 μm).
- Replaced the conventional silicon-based detector with a mercury-cadmium-telluride detector for IR spectral detection.
- Analyzed IR spectral signatures for vibrational and rotational information of molecular functional groups and fragments.
Main Results:
- Observed MIR and LWIR-LIBS emissions indicative of oxygenated breakdown products and dissociated/recombined molecular fragments.
- Successfully detected distinct LWIR-LIBS emission signatures from dissociated-recombination sample molecular fragments between 4 and 12 μm.
- Demonstrated the appearance of these distinct LWIR-LIBS signatures for the first time.
Conclusions:
- The MIR and LWIR spectral regions offer valuable insights into molecular structures and fragments for explosive sensing.
- The use of a mercury-cadmium-telluride detector enables effective MIR-LWIR LIBS detection.
- This study establishes the novelty of distinct LWIR-LIBS emission signatures for molecular fragment analysis.
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