Remote Laser Evaporative Molecular Absorption (R-LEMA) spectroscopy laboratory experiments

Jonathan Madajian; Gary B. Hughes; Benton Miller; Yu Wang; Dane Brouwer; Alexander Cohen; Jessie Su; William Strickland; Prashant Srinivasan; Travis Brashears; Nicholas Rupert; Philip Lubin

doi:10.1117/12.2322105

2 October 2018 Remote Laser Evaporative Molecular Absorption (R-LEMA) spectroscopy laboratory experiments

Jonathan Madajian, Gary B. Hughes, Benton Miller, Yu Wang, Dane Brouwer, Alexander Cohen, Jessie Su, William Strickland, Prashant Srinivasan, Travis Brashears, Nicholas Rupert, Philip Lubin

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 10769, CubeSats and NanoSats for Remote Sensing II; 107690N (2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2322105
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2018, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

To probe the molecular composition of a remote target, a laser is directed at a spot on the target, where melting and evaporation occur. The heated spot serves as a high-temperature blackbody source, and the ejected substance creates a plume of surface materials in front of the spot. Bulk molecular composition of the surface material is investigated by using a spectrometer to view the heated spot through the ejected plume. The proposed method is distinct from current stand-off approaches to composition analysis, such as Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), which atomizes and ionizes target material and observes emission spectra to determine bulk atomic composition. Initial simulations of absorption profiles based on theoretical models show great promise for the proposed method. This paper compares simulated spectral profiles with results of preliminary laboratory experiments. A sample is placed in an evacuated space, which is situated within the beam line of a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. A laser beam is directed at the sample through an optical window in the front of the vacuum space. As the sample is heated, and evaporation begins, the FTIR beam passes through the molecular plume, via IR windows in the sidewalls of the evacuated space. Sample targets, such as basalt, are tested and compared to the theoretically predicted spectra.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Jonathan Madajian, Gary B. Hughes, Benton Miller, Yu Wang, Dane Brouwer, Alexander Cohen, Jessie Su, William Strickland, Prashant Srinivasan, Travis Brashears, Nicholas Rupert, and Philip Lubin "Remote Laser Evaporative Molecular Absorption (R-LEMA) spectroscopy laboratory experiments", Proc. SPIE 10769, CubeSats and NanoSats for Remote Sensing II, 107690N (2 October 2018); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2322105

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available