The influence of target surface position on plasma characteristics in dual-pulse fiber-optic laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-produced plasmas of dual-pulse fiber-optic laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy with different target positions relative to the waist region of laser focusing are studied using fast imaging and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The laser energy of the two laser pulses is both maintained at around 18 mJ (i.e. the total energy is 36 mJ). The inter-pulse delay is kept at 250 ns. Ten spot sizes changing from 947 to 543 μm are obtained by precisely adjusting the distance between the focusing lens and the target surface. The profile of laser beam output from fiber shows a distinct top-hat shape. When approaching the dual-pulse waist region, the self-absorption and self-reversal of matrix iron lines gradually become intense while the plasma emission is enhanced, but the signal-to-noise ratio of minor elements gradually decreases. Under a similar spot size, the emission intensity with the target surface behind the waist region is weaker than that in front of the waist region and also with greater jitters. The target surface position is optimized to deviate from the waist region by ~ 1.3–1.6 mm towards the focusing lens for improving SNR of minor elements, corresponding to the lens-to-sample distances of 11.8–12.1 mm. Plasma morphology has undergone a transformation from stream- to umbrella-like structure using the recorded Intensified Charge-Coupled Device (ICCD) images. The expansion distance of the plasma front is increased from 1.07 to 1.28 mm, and the plasma volume is increased from 0.59 to 1.60 mm 3 . Besides, by utilization of OES, the maximum variation of plasma temperature and line broadening width rise to 2702 K from 1630 and to 0.0492 from 0.0316 nm along the vertical direction. The significant increase of optical thickness and nonuniformity of plasma temperature and density is the main reason for the intensification of self-absorption.