Femtosecond Single-Pulse and Orthogonal Double-Pulse Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS): Femtogram Mass Detection and Chemical Imaging with Micrometer Spatial Resolution.

Femtosecond laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (fs-LIBS) is employed to detect tiny amounts of mass ablated from macroscopic specimens and to measure chemical images of microstructured samples with high spatial resolution. Frequency-doubled fs-pulses (length 400 fs, wavelength 520 nm) are tightly focused with a Schwarzschild microscope objective to ablate the sample surface. The optical emission of laser-induced plasma (LIP) is collected by the objective and measured with an echelle spectrometer equipped with an intensified charge-coupled device camera.

Quantification of the Vulcanizing System of Rubber in Industrial Tire Rubber Production by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS).

The properties of natural and synthetic rubber critically depend on the concentration of the vulcanizing system, among others. Sulfur and zinc oxide are typically used as cross-linking and activating agents for the vulcanization reaction (0-3 wt %). We present an advanced spectroscopic method to chemically analyze the vulcanizing system in rubber under ambient conditions, and we demonstrate a novel application to measure the elements in-line of industrial rubber production.

Laser-induced optical breakdown spectroscopy of polymer materials based on evaluation of molecular emission bands.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for composition analysis of polymer materials results in optical spectra containing atomic and ionic emission lines as well as molecular emission bands. In the present work, the molecular bands are analyzed to obtain spectroscopic information about the plasma state in an effort to quantify the content of different elements in the polymers. Polyethylene (PE) and a rubber material from tire production are investigated employing 157nmF laser and 532nm Nd:YAG laser ablation in nitrogen and argon gas background or in air.