Challenges for screening of nuclear fuel debris by innovative spectral imaging and its verification by LIBS mapping, 3; Detection of uranium in simulated fuel debris samples by acoustic wave-assisted microchip laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Batsaikhan, M.; Oba, Hironori*  ; Karino, Takahiro ; Iwata, Yoshihiro   ; Akaoka, Katsuaki ; Wakaida, Ikuo*  ; Sakaguchi, Chisato*; Sakamoto, Kan*; Muta, Hiroaki*

Remote, real time, accurate elemental analysis is essential at every stage of the safe and successful decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, from initial site characterization to storage of materials. This study presents the development of a novel acoustic wave assisted microchip laser induced breakdown spectroscopy technique for remote and real time elemental analysis and explores the use of laser induced plasma acoustic signal to optimize the lens to sample distance which is significantly affect to the signal intensity and accuracy of measurement. The analytical performance of the developed system was tested for uranium in mixed oxide samples and the limit of detection was evaluated to be 0.7 wt.% with calibration curve method.