Abstract: An in-situ laser plasma spectroscopy (LPS) system for automated near real-time elemental depth profiling of a target including: an optical source configured to generate an optical beam, wherein the optical beam is pulsed; an optical probe system configured to deliver the optical beam from the optical source to a surface of a target to generate an ablation plasma; a time resolved spectral detection system configured to generate time resolved spectral data from emission signals from the ablation plasma; and a data acquisition and processing system configured to acquire the time resolved spectral data to determine, in combination with predetermined calibration data, an absolute elemental concentration as a function of depth in near real-time.

Abstract: An in-situ laser plasma spectroscopy (LPS) system for automated near real-time elemental depth profiling of a target including: an optical source configured to generate an optical beam, wherein the optical beam is pulsed; an optical probe system configured to deliver the optical beam from the optical source to a surface of a target to generate an ablation plasma; a time resolved spectral detection system configured to generate time resolved spectral data from emission signals from the ablation plasma; and a data acquisition and processing system configured to acquire the time resolved spectral data to determine, in combination with predetermined calibration data, an absolute elemental concentration as a function of depth in near real-time.

Abstract: A method comprising the following steps: (a) providing a turbine component comprising a metal substrate having an external surface; and (b) analyzing the external surface by laser plasma spectroscopy to determine whether a metallic coating is present on or absent from the external surface. If a metallic coating is determined to be present on the external surface, the elemental composition, elemental concentration and/or thickness of the metallic coating present on the external surface may be determined (qualitatively and/or quantitatively) by laser plasma spectroscopy. Another method comprises the following steps: (a) providing a turbine component comprising a metal substrate having an external surface which has been subjected to treatment to remove a metallic coating applied to the external surface; and (b) analyzing the treated external surface by laser plasma spectroscopy to determine the degree of removal of the metallic coating from the treated external surface.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring laser shock peening of a work piece. A line spectrum is obtained from radiation emitted by a plasma produced by a laser shock peening process. The shape of the line spectrum about its emission peak is compared to a defined line shape to verify proper operation of the laser shock peening process. The line shape may be a Lorentzian line shape corresponding to a desired line shape. The line shape may a Gaussian line shape corresponding to an undesired line shape. The system can also detect the failure mode that occurs when the opaque layer is broken through by detecting the plasma spectral component produced by the work piece material, along with the plasma produced by the opaque layer.