Recovery of the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy system using a ceramic microchip deteriorated by radiation for the remote elemental analysis

The radiation-induced deterioration of ceramic microchip laser properties limits the applications of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) systems. The deteriorated properties were recovered through thermal treatment of ceramics as derived by the spectroscopic comparison of ceramics and single crystals (SCs). The absorption in spectra was increased by gamma rays irradiation, which was higher for the ceramics than for the SCs in the infrared radiation region. Although the amount of absorption decreased by heating and increased via cooling ceramics, no significant thermal effects were observed for the SCs. The effects of irradiation on the laser properties of ceramics were examined, and the laser pulse energy loss was well recovered via heating. Because heating did not deteriorate the beam profile, affecting the LIBS efficiency, the procedure was effective in recovering the diminished LIBS signal. Although heating reduced the number of generated pulses, affects the burst-mode measurement, the reduction was recovered by increasing the pump laser power. Because the radiation-induced deterioration of the LIBS signal for single-pulse and multiburst mode measurements was well recovered, the procedures are considered effective for the application of LIBS systems using radiation-sensitive ceramics, particularly in harsh radiation environments.