A Method of Time Resolving the Mass Spectra Produced by Laser Vaporization of Solids.

摘要

A method of coupling a laser and time-of-flight mass spectrometer to obtain time resolved data was developed. Studies of the mass spectra produced by laser vaporization of solid materials in a vacuum were then performed. A continuous wave (CW) carbon dioxide laser was used to irradiate proposed aircraft windscreen materials with a maximum power density of 5kilowatts/sq cm. The intensity of species emanating in the laser-induced vapor plume was measured as a function of laser-solid interaction time. For both windscreen materials investigated it was found that acetylene (C2H2) was the predominant vapor species evolving from the laser heated samples. A correlation between the degree of material charring in the vicinity of the vaporization area and the rates of species evolution from the sample surface was also noted.