Improving LIBS analysis of non-flat heterogeneous samples by signals mapping.

Heterogeneous material analysis by the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique is challenging in real practice due to requirements for representative sampling and non-flat surfaces of the samples. Methods complementary to LIBS (plasma imaging, plasma acoustics, sample surface color imaging) have been introduced to improve zinc (Zn) determination in soybean grist material by LIBS. The detailed statistical study revealed that atomic/ionic lines emission and other LIBS signals were distributed normally except for acoustics signals.

Combining thermal imaging and spectral pyrometry for express temperature mapping in additive manufacturing.

A compact and low-cost two-dimensional (2D) thermal imager was developed for real-time temperature mapping of a melt pool during coaxial laser cladding (the additive manufacturing technique). The device combines a color CMOS camera and a compact spectrometer. The spectrometer was utilized for internal calibration and validation of a 2D temperature map that was acquired by the CMOS camera.

Laser Remote Sensing of Lake Kinneret by Compact Fluorescence LiDAR.

Harmful algal blooms in freshwater reservoirs became a steady phenomenon in recent decades, so instruments for monitoring water quality in real time are of high importance. Modern satellite remote sensing is a powerful technique for mapping large areas but cannot provide depth-resolved data on algal concentrations. As an alternative to satellite techniques, laser remote sensing is a perspective technique for depth-resolved studies of fresh or seawater.

Tunable-shift stimulated Raman scattering in water by chirped 50 fs to 4.5 ps UV-pulses.

Forward stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) induced by focused 400 nm pulses chirped to different pulse durations is observed in water and heavy water. The first Stokes Raman peak shift is shown to be tunable in the range of ${{3500 {-} 4200}}\;{{\rm{cm}}^{- 1}}$ in water and ${{2450 {-} 3250}}\;{{\rm{cm}}^{- 1}}$ in heavy water. It is demonstrated that the Stokes peak shift increases for shorter pulse durations and higher intensities.

In situ laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy measurements during laser welding of superalloy.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been utilized for in situ diagnostics of the laser welding process. The influence of different weld spot areas (melt pool, solid weld) on LIBS signals and plasma properties has been studied in detail. Liquid metal sampling and high target surface temperature of the melt enhance LIBS plasma intensity and increase plasma temperature.

Picosecond stimulated Raman scattering at 3000 and 3430 cm OH vibrations without optical breakdown: publisher's note.

This publisher's note contains corrections to Opt. Lett.45, 5624 (2020)OPLEDP0146-959210.

Picosecond stimulated Raman scattering at 3000 and 3430 cm OH vibrations without optical breakdown.

For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) of picosecond laser pulses without optical breakdown has been detected simultaneously (as the first Stokes and anti-Stokes paired components) at ∼3430 and ∼3000 vibrations of water OH band. These components were generated coaxially to the pump beam in the forward direction as axial and conical ring beams, respectively, when the pump beam was focused at the water-air interface. We suggest an explanation of these new SRS phenomena by non-collinear four-wave parametric interaction.

Asymmetrical-cavity picosecond Raman laser at the water-air interface.

For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, we demonstrated a new type of Raman laser with asymmetrical cavity at the liquid-air interface. We observed an intriguing stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) threshold dependence when the pumping laser beam waist was transferred through the liquid-air interface, and we demonstrated a paradoxical 30-fold SRS threshold reduction in the vicinity of the water-air surface. The minimum SRS threshold was achieved when the pumping laser beam waist was located at the liquid surface.

In situ elemental analysis and failures detection during additive manufacturing process utilizing laser induced breakdown spectroscopy.

The feasibility of in situ quantitative multielemental analysis and production failures detection by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been demonstrated during direct energy deposition process in additive manufacturing. Compact LIBS probe was developed and equipped with the laser cladding head installed at industrial robot for real-time chemical quantitative analysis of key components (Ni, W) during the synthesis of high wear resistant coatings of nickel alloy reinforced with tungsten carbide particles. Owing to non-uniform distribution of tungsten carbide grains in the upper surface layer the only acceptable choice for LIBS sampling was made to the melt pool at growing clad.

Surface plasma influence on nanosecond laser ablation.

The comparison of laser ablation and plasma evolution has been carried out for a molten steel sample in the absence and in the presence of surface plasma. A continuous wave (cw) laser beam was utilized for local melting of a steel (Fe>99  wt.%) sample, but it also induced a surface plasma according to optical emission spectroscopy.

Optimizing laser crater enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Raman signal enhancement by laser crater production was systematically studied for 785 nm continuous wave laser pumping. Laser craters were produced in L-aspartic acid powder by a nanosecond pulsed solid state neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser (532 nm, 8 ns, 1 mJ/pulse), while Raman spectra were then acquired by using a commercial spectrometer with 785 nm laser beam pumping. The Raman signal enhancement effect was studied in terms of the number of ablating pulses used, the lens-to-sample distance, and the crater-center-laser-spot offset.

Optimizing laser crater enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy.

The laser crater enhanced Raman scattering (LCERS) spectroscopy technique has been systematically studied for chosen sampling strategy and influence of powder material properties on spectra intensity enhancement. The same nanosecond pulsed solid state Nd:YAG laser (532 nm, 10 ns, 0.1-1.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for three-dimensional elemental mapping of composite materials synthesized by additive technologies.

Three-dimensional multi-elemental mapping of composite wear-resistant coatings by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy has been demonstrated for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Individual clads of 1560 nickel alloy reinforced with tungsten carbide were synthesized by a co-axial laser cladding technique. Electron energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy revealed elemental maps for major elements (W, Ni, Co, Cr, Fe) but failed to measure silicon and carbon.

Combining Raman and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy by double pulse lasing.

A new approach combining Raman spectrometry and laser induced breakdown spectrometry (LIBS) within a single laser event was suggested. A pulsed solid state Nd:YAG laser running in double pulse mode (two frequency-doubled sequential nanosecond laser pulses with dozens microseconds delay) was used to combine two spectrometry methods within a single instrument (Raman/LIBS spectrometer). First, a low-energy laser pulse (power density far below ablation threshold) was used for Raman measurements while a second powerful laser pulse created the plasma suitable for LIBS analysis.

Multiple increase in productivity of the yeast at reducing the fraction of DO in water.

We found a two-fold increase in the productivity of baker's yeast grown on a nutrient mixture prepared in light water with a DO content (127 ppm) smaller than in the distilled water (150 ppm). The number of water monomers that provides the biosynthetic activity (water transport through membrane channels) of yeast cells with an increased CO yield was determined for the first time. We established that the selectivity of cell membrane channels in water of different composition depends not only on the motion of ortho-and para-spin HO isomers in solution, as was shown earlier, but also on the concentration of DO.

Laser crater enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Raman signal enhancement by multiple scattering inside laser crater cones was observed for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Laser crater enhanced Raman spectroscopy (LCERS) yielded a 14-fold increase in the Raman spectra bands due to efficient multiple scattering of laser irradiation within the laser crater walls. The same pulsed Nd:YAG laser (532 nm, 10 ns) was used for both laser crater formation and Raman scattering experiments by varying the output pulse energy.

Quantifying Raman OH-band spectra for remote water temperature measurements.

Remote water temperature measurements by Raman scattering is a perspective tool for in situ and/or real-time studies for inaccessible areas such as the Arctic region. State-of-the-art laser remote temperature detection techniques are based on temperature-dependent transformation of the Raman OH stretching vibration band. This study compared different approaches quantifying Raman OH-band spectra transformation with temperature: the two-color technique, deconvolution procedure, Raman difference spectroscopy, and centroid technique.

Double nanosecond pulses generation in ytterbium fiber laser.

Double pulse generation mode for nanosecond ytterbium fiber laser was developed. Two sequential 60-200 ns laser pulses with variable delay between them were generated by acousto-optic modulator opening with continuous diode pumping. A custom radio frequency generator was developed to produce two sequential "opening" radio pulses with a delay of 0.

[Rehabilitation of the patients with osteoarthritis].

Under the term "osteoarthritis" (OA) is currently meant a clinical syndrome resulting from the combined effect of articular pain and disordered functional activity leading to the deterioration of the quality of life of the patients. The principal objective of rehabilitation of the patients presenting with GA in which all patients with this condition are in need practically after each next aggravation of the pathological process is to relive pain syndrome and restore the functional ability of the joints lost or deteriorated after each exacerbation in order to eventually improve the quality of life of the patients experiencing the constantly progressing degenerative process in the musculoskeletal system. The effectiveness of pain alleviation, the degree of improvement'of the joint functional activity and the general condition of the patient are considered as the criteria for the assessment of the effectiveness of the rehabilitative treatment.

Transparent material thickness measurements by Raman scattering.

An efficient and simple and convenient technique for transparent samples thickness measurements by Raman spectroscopy is suggested. The elastic scattering can be effectively used for sample border indication if the refractive index changes more than 3%, while it fails to detect an ice-to-water border of floating ice. The alternative is to use Raman spectroscopy to detect the interface between different layers of transparent materials.

[H2O ortho-para spin conversion in aqueous solutions as a quantum factor of Konovalov paradox].

Recently academician Konovalov and co-workers observed an increase in electroconductivity and biological activity simultaneously with diffusion slowing (or nanoobject diameter increasing) and extremes of other parameters (ζ-potential, surface tension, pH, optical activity) in low concentration aqueous solutions. This phenomenon completely disappeared when samples were shielded against external electromagnetic fields by a Faraday cage. A conventional theory of water and water solutions couldn't explain "Konovalov paradox" observed in numerous experiments (representative sampling about 60 samples and 7 parameters).

[Functional characteristics of yeast cells in nutrient aqueous solution enriched with ortho-H2O isomers].

It has been experimentally established that cultivation of yeast cells in depleted, dietary or normal nutrient aqueous solutions enriched with ortho-H2O spin isomers is accompanied by an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the cells and an increase in their biomass. It has been revealed that the rate of metabolic processes and biological activity depends on the quality of nutrition and enhances in time in both nutrient solutions. In contrast, the reproductive function and the rate of cell division are insusceptible to the components of nutrition, but intensified in a solution enriched with ortho-H2O similar to retardation of aging.

Ice thickness measurements by Raman scattering.

A compact Raman LIDAR system with a spectrograph was used for express ice thickness measurements. The difference between the Raman spectra of ice and liquid water is employed to locate the ice-water interface while elastic scattering was used for air--ice surface detection. This approach yields an error of only 2 mm for an 80 mm thick ice sample, indicating that it is a promising express noncontact thickness measurements technique in field experiments.

Immunorehabilitating effect of ultrahigh frequency electromagnetic fields in immunocompromised animals.

We observed immunorehabilitation effects of ultrahigh frequency electromagnetic fields (microwaves) in immunocompromised animals. It was shown that microwave irradiation of the thyroid gland area could abolish actinomycin D- and colchicine-induced immunosuppression and did not affect immunosuppression caused by 5-fluorouracil. These findings suggest that changes in the hormonal profile of the organism during microwave exposure can stimulate the processes of transcription and mitotic activity of lymphoid cells.

[Effect of quantum differences of ortho and para H2O spin-isomers on water properties: biophysical aspect].

Quantum differences of ortho/para H2O spin-isomers are considered as a key factor that determines water property taking into account the ortho/para conversion and the unbalanced. (1:1) ortho/para ratio in water. The biophysical mechanism of jump in the permeability of erythrocytes at the level of microcapillary at 36.