Laser Atomic Emission Spectrometer with Achromatic Optical System

Abstract

A laser atomic emission multichannel spectrometer (LAEMS) with an achromatic optical configuration is developed for research and educational purposes. The new spectrometer fits all the requirements for equipment for laser atomic emission spectroscopy, and has a number of advantages owing to the features of the design and technical characteristics of its components. The excitation source for the spectrometer includes two Nd:YAG lasers pumped by semiconductor laser diode arrays with a controllable energy (from 0 to 100 mJ) and interval between between pulses (from 1 to 100 μs), and an average pulse duration of ≈15 ns. The LAEMS provides for studies in both a single pulse and a double pulse laser ablation regime and excitation of emission spectra. Double pulse laser ablation on the LAEMS provides a substantial (up to a factor of 10) increase in the analytic signal with a negligible (1.5–2 times) increase in surface damage.