Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Laser Ablation Combined With Fast Pulse Discharge

Fast pulse discharge initiated by the laser ablation of target material was used to enhance the analytical capabilities of single pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Fast imaging of such combined pulse plasma is presented. The recorded images show that the enhancement of the optical emission can be attributed to additional ablation of targets, besides prolonged duration and greater volume of plasma. Spatially resolved spectra show that limiting the recording volume improves signal to background ratio and enhances the analytical possibilities of such plasma.