Expansion characteristics of particles in ablation plume measured with resonance absorption spectroscopy; Comparison of neutral atoms of titanium and hafnium

Jung, K.; Miyabe, Masabumi   ; Akaoka, Katsuaki ; Oba, Masaki ; Wakaida, Ikuo  

We are developing an analytical method using laser ablation absorption spectroscopy (LAAS) to analyze radioactive waste mixed with zirconium, uranium and so on. It is essential to evaluate the characteristics of the plume formed by the objective particles for LAAS analysis. Therefore, in this study, titanium and hafnium whose chemical properties are similar to those of Zr were chosen as analytical object. And the difference in expanding behavior of the plume due to the weight of the particles was investigated. As a result of changing the height of the probe beam and applying the optical time-of-flight method to the plume, it was found that the influence of the background gas is larger for Ti than Hf. The meaning of the resonance absorption signal of the waste sample mixed with nuclear fuel materials and nuclear reactor materials was understood by this study and basic knowledge to optimize experimental conditions were also obtained.