Semi-quantitative analysis of a Samarium alloys sample using a Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a laser-based sensitive optical technique used to detect certain atomic and molecular species by monitoring the emission signals from a LIP (Laser-induced plasma). The LIBS technique has been applied for a direct qualitative and quantitative determination of the composition of a wide range of different matrices such as solids, liquids, and gaseous samples. In view of an IAEA Safeguards implementation for nuclear materials, the LIBS method has an advantage of a timely analysis of multi elements in a sample taken from a nuclear fuel cycle process when compared to a time consuming chemical analysis method. Also the LIBS technique adopting fiber optics could be a promising method for measuring sensitive nuclear material (such as Uranium, Plutonium and Curium) in a high radiation environment such as a hot-cell. A quantitative analysis of materials has two important issues. First, the measurement conditions for a high fluctuation of a laser induced plasma (LIP) need to be optimized during an actual experiment. It is necessary because of the environmental gas condition, the sample preparation process, and the vibration around the equipment. Second, the positioning of the measurement location in a whole plasma sphere is very important. The plasma sphere is enlarged by the rarefied air, and it is discriminated by the inner sphere and the outer sphere. The inner sphere is brighter than the outer sphere, and it has been shown that the ion particles are superior in number to the neutral atoms. On the contrary, the neutral atoms are superior to the ions in the outer sphere. It is thus proper that the measurement is executed relatively stably in the outer sphere