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The effect of ambient gas on measurements with microwave-assisted laser-induced plasmas in MA-LIBS with relevance for the analysis of nuclear fuel

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Abstract

The effect of ambient gas on measurements with microwave-assisted laser-induced plasma in microwave-assisted laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (MA-LIBS) was studied with relevance for the analysis of nuclear fuel. A pelletized gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) sample, which was used as a simulated nuclear fuel, was irradiated by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser (532 nm, 5 mJ) coupled with microwaves (2.45 GHz, 400 W) under various gases of air, Ar, and He. Microwaves can be effectively used to enhance laser-induced plasma emissions. The emission spectrums of Gd obtained by MA-LIBS in Ar and He gases are much better than those of the air case. Namely, the spectral lines can be clearly identified and are far from molecular bands. Furthermore, the emission intensity is highest with low background emissions. Linear calibration curves of Ca in the concentration range between 0 and 500 mg/kg as an impurity in Gd2O3 have been successfully obtained in all gases. The detection limits of Ca impurity in air, Ar and He gases were 2, 0.8 and 0.6 mg/kg, respectively, which are much lower than the required limits of Ca impurity in nuclear fuels.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Diponegoro University, Semarang, 50275, Indonesia

    Ali Khumaeni

  2. Fuel Debris Analysis Group, Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki-ken, 311-1197, Japan

    Masabumi Miyabe, Katsuaki Akaoka & Ikuo Wakaida

Authors
  1. Ali Khumaeni
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  2. Masabumi Miyabe
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  3. Katsuaki Akaoka
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  4. Ikuo Wakaida
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Correspondence to Ali Khumaeni.

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Khumaeni, A., Miyabe, M., Akaoka, K. et al. The effect of ambient gas on measurements with microwave-assisted laser-induced plasmas in MA-LIBS with relevance for the analysis of nuclear fuel. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 311, 77–84 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-016-5020-1

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