Experimental and theoretical studies of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy emission from iron oxide: Studies of atmospheric effects
In this paper, we report on a comprehensive study of the emission spectra from laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) measurements on iron oxide. Measurements have been made of the emission from Fe 2 O 3 under atmospheres of air, He, and Ar, and at different atmospheric pressures. The effect of varying the time delay of the measurement is also explored. Theoretical calculations were performed to analyze the plasma conditions and find that a reasonably consistent picture of the change in plasma temperature and density for different atmospheric conditions can be reached. We also investigate the sensitivity of the OI 777 nm emission lines to the plasma conditions, something that has not been explored in detail in the previous work. In conclusion, we also show that LIBS can be used to differentiate between FeO and Fe 2 O 3 by examining the ratio of the intensities of selected Fe emission to O emission lines.