Stoichiometry study of laser produced plasma by optical emission spectroscopy

For quantitative multi-elemental analysis by Optical Emission Spectroscopy on Laser Produced Plasma (OES-LPP), the plasma composition must be represen tative of the sample composition. In order to verify the stoichiometric beh aviour of ablation process, the vaporisation-atomisation rates of different elements in the sample were studied. Elements are chosen for comparison pu rposes in term of melting point and atomic masses. Stoichiometric ablation process is verified for samples with minor elements (% of Cu, Zn, and Mg) i n Aluminium at two laser fluences (37 and 12 J/cm(2)). In binary samples (b rass). a behaviour for copper that is hard to understand is observed and st oichiometry can not be verified. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.