Enhanced temperature and emission from a standoff 266 nm laser initiated LIBS plasma using a simultaneous 10.6 μm CO2 laser pulse

A deep UV 266 nm laser induced LIBS plasma has been enhanced by using a simultaneous 10.6 mu m CO2 laser pulse at standoff ranges up to 55 m for several targets including metals, ceramics and plastics. The LIBS plasma emission was produced, for the first time, by a 266 nm laser and was enhanced by several orders of magnitude using the CO2 laser pulse. The temperature of the enhanced LIBS plasma was measured, for the first time, and was observed to increase by about 3000K due to the addition of the CO2 laser pulse. (c) 2009 Optical Society of America