Overcoming challenges in laser-induced fluorescence for diagnostics of atomizers for trace element analysis

Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) is a powerful and non-intrusive technique for diagnosing low-temperature plasmas, particularly for measuring absolute concentrations of reactive species. This talk will begin with an overview of advanced LIF methodology, focusing on challenges encountered in real experimental conditions, such as partial saturation of the laser-induced transition, attenuation of the laser beam in dense media, and excitation transfer between nearby excited states. Strategies for addressing these issues will be discussed, enabling accurate interpretation of fluorescence signals even in complex plasma environments.

In the second part, a case study will demonstrate how these techniques are applied in practice: specifically, in the diagnostics of atomizers used in atomic absorption spectrometry. These atomizers are capable to atomize hydrides of toxicologically important elements such as Bi, Sn, or Pb into free atoms for optical detection. Using LIF, we investigate the efficiency of this decomposition process under varying conditions and across different atomizer designs. The results provide valuable insights into optimizing atomizer performance, with implications for improving the sensitivity and reliability of trace element detection in analytical chemistry.