Study of the dynamical behavior of the LIBS plasma under conditions of low atmospheric pressure

A new arrangement of 3 Langmuir probes to evaluate the electric potential and estimate the electron temperature in the LIBS plasma is introduced in this work. It consists of three nickel meshes (95% of transparency) on a basis for the sample in a vacuum chamber. The sample (a 50 cents coin) was analyzed at 9 different pressures (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 Torr). Measurements were made of the voltage signal induced in the electrodes relative to one another and to the sample. Information about the on-time and the duration of the plasma under the decreased pressure conditions can be extracted from these signals, which could in principle, be also correlated with the velocity of expansion of the plasma and the establishment of thermodynamical equilibrium in the system plasma-background gas. Additionally, we photographed the emitted light by LIBS plasma at maximum extension at different pressures by means of two digital cameras at the right angles to one another and to the laser beam. In each case, the expanded plasma contour was mathematically analyzed. In particular, the area of the plasma plume as recorded with the cameras was found to follow a simple relationship with the background pressure in a way not different from an ideal gas.